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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27691514">The Chains we Break</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/thankskarlmarx/pseuds/thankskarlmarx'>thankskarlmarx</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Draco Malfoy &amp; Harry Potter Friendship, Draco Malfoy is Clueless About Muggle Things, Draco has a daughter, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Good Draco Malfoy, MACUSA | Magical Congress of the United States of America, Ministry of Magic (Harry Potter), Ministry of Magic Employee Draco Malfoy, Nightmares, Post-War, Redeemed Draco Malfoy, Wizarding World (Harry Potter), Wizarding World of the United States of America</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-07 02:34:02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>61,258</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27691514</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/thankskarlmarx/pseuds/thankskarlmarx</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Sarah Stewart is an American witch working at the Ministry of Magic until MACUSA needs her to come back and deal with a situation brewing in the states. Draco is trying to come to terms with himself after the second wizarding war and the choices he made. He, too, is working at the Ministry of Magic when Draco and Sarah's paths cross. The pair team up to take out an elite group of pure blood enthusiasts gaining traction in the US -- and Sarah's grandfather is the leader. Draco Malfoy, former Death Eater and Pure Blood wizard, is Sarah's ticket to being in Maxim Stewart's good graces again.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Draco Malfoy/Original Female Character(s), Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley, Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley, Lucius Malfoy/Narcissa Black Malfoy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This story is 18+  and has a little of everything; smut, fluff, cocky Draco, romantic Draco, and plenty of drama. Enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p></p><div class="center">
  <p>one: if i was meant to die, he would've killed me</p>
</div><p>Draco didn't need to work. He once thought that maybe playing quidditch professionally could be something to keep him busy, but after Voldemort was defeated he spent half a year holed up in Malfoy Manor under watch from the Ministry and could only dream of the day he could get out of the place he had always called home. His parents drove him mad constantly now that they had lost a purpose, and he was still young enough to try and change his path before his life just flew by before him. Draco couldn't help but regret that he hadn't changed his path in life earlier. But he was young, he still had time.</p><p>Reluctantly, Draco applied for a desk job at the Ministry of Magic, the only place he thought that maybe he could make up for the acts he had partaken in years prior. Draco found a small little flat in London in the muggle part of town because it was all he could afford on his Ministry salary. His potions and alchemy skills had always been his strongest subject at Hogwarts, and contrary to popular belief, it wasn't because Professor Snape favored him. It just happened to be the one area he kept interest in.</p><p>Draco wasn't liked, nor respected in the Ministry. He was sure that they gave him the job mostly so they could keep a watchful eye on him. Draco understood why. His past was questionable, because switching to the "good side" at the last minute meant his peers and colleagues judged him more for surviving than intent. He knew that his heart wasn't in line with Death Eater beliefs for a long time, but going against it meant that himself and his family would be made an example of. The past was the past as far as he was concerned, and he had been ridiculed his whole life. At least now he could be ridiculed and have something to do instead of hang around the library in the manor and read every book on the shelf until his eyes gave out and he went blind.</p><p>The work was mostly boring, but he quickly found himself being moved to the Accidental Magic Reversal Squad for his affinity for potions. Since the Second Wizarding War, more and more witches and wizards were opting for retirement and it seemed every department had openings. Draco wasn't sure if this was where he wanted to stay, but it was honest work and he was good at it. His parents were constantly breathing down his neck to stop working such a menial job and do something more, but hushed when he pointed out all they were doing was sitting around with their wands up their...</p><p>Pansy Parkinson had been sending him owl's and trying to "run into" him at the Ministry. He knew what sort of relationship she wanted from him, but right now he was more satisfied with being alone. He saw Goyle from time to time, Blaise too. But being around them made him more sad and melancholy than anything. He even spotted Potter and Granger a few times while working and chose to acknowledge them, but wasn't ever in the mood to make any small talk. He felt as though his trial had happened and ended, he was still always going to be judged for the mark on his arm and the choice he was never actually given. You either said yes to Voldemort, or you died. No one from the Order understood that, or if they did, they turned a blind eye to it.</p><p>It was a normal Thursday when Draco entered the Ministry. He kept his head low, making his way to the elevator to take him to the 3rd level. Every once and a while he could hear whispers; sometimes they were as innocent as "arse", but sometimes they were nasty. "Murderer", "scum", "traitor". Those were common. He had gotten used to grinding his teeth and moving along his way without delivering a reaction. He couldn't be the monster they wanted him to be anymore. Couldn't, and wouldn't. Or maybe he had just lost that will to fight.</p><p>Draco had just put some potions on to brew and stepped out of the potions lab to eat some lunch and read parchments from his mother. Every letter said the same thing, that she and his father wished he would just come home. They were meeting with other magical families and there were "plenty of witches still interested in meeting him", which he already interpreted as continuing on with a pure blood line. He had no interest in that. He had no interest in most things now. Draco had lost a lot of things the second that tattoo was marked on his skin.</p><p>He tossed the parchment onto his desk and turned back to his lunch. He'd write back to his mother eventually, telling her that he was fine. But was he? This whole new idea of just existing without having an internal struggle was weird. Freeing, sure. But weird. He set his sandwich down and sighed, a hand running through his slicked back blonde hair. When he looked up, he saw his coworker, Riana, waving at him through the glass that separated the lab and the office and her mouth moving, "are you okay?" She was nice, and always took an interest in Draco, sometimes packed extra lunch for him, but most importantly understood that when he was silent it meant he didn't want to talk. Draco gave her a weak smile and nodded and she smiled, turning around to go back to her work. No sooner had he picked the sandwich back up that he heard a loud boom come from the lab and he jumped up. Something had exploded and there was a thick fog of smoke engulfing half the lab.</p><p>Draco hurried in, "Riana?! Riana, where are you? Merlin, answer me where are you?" He reached for his wand to clear the fog, which was thick and musky. He wrinkled his nose as he crouched down to search the floor. "Riana, are you okay? Where are you?" He could hear her groaning as he bumped head first into a huge oak table, almost knocking more chemicals down. He had to stop being reckless and calculate his steps. "Riana, I hear you, I'm going to find you." He saw the blood before he saw Riana. He took a deep breath, but before he could reach her he could feel himself getting dizzy. "Riana, Riana..." Draco mouthed, slumping to the floor, his left hand almost touching his coworker's foot before he passed out.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. there must be a reason i still breathe</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Draco woke up he immediately could tell he was in a holding room. He'd spent two days in one of these immediately after Voldemort's defeat, when everyone in Britain was scrambling to figure out what to do with the remaining Death Eaters. He'd been kept separate from his parents, naturally. Draco understood the need for holding rooms, and questions. He'd stood in the middle of the Wizengamot, his head low and admitted to every single thing he had done over the last three years. They let him off with a suspension of magic for a month, coming to the conclusion that he had been forced to join Voldemort or face being killed. It also helped that a lot of the acts he had been forced to partake in were when he was still considered a minor in the magical world.</p><p>But now? Draco didn't understand why he was here. Or why there was a burly man with a beard sitting by the door. His head hurt and he narrowed his eyes at the man watching him carefully. He remembered the lab and Riana and shot up out of the chair. "Riana! Where is she? Is she alright?" The man pointed a wand at him, and he took it as a warning to not move again. Draco slowly raised his hands. "I don't know why I'm here but can you please tell me if Riana is okay?"</p><p>The man laughed and shook his head. "Congratulations, you almost convinced me that you actually care. Why is it that when there's trouble, somehow a Malfoy is always nearby?"</p><p>Draco swallowed hard and sat back down. The old Draco, full of energy and attitude would've lunged straight for the bastard. But these were different times. Instead he turned his head to the wall. It was solid, but he knew there was some sort of illusion spell that made it possible for Aurors to see in. "I had nothing to do with this!" He yelled at the wall. Draco was about to yell again when the door opened.</p><p>Harry Potter, the golden boy Auror of the Ministry walked in, nodding to the man at the door who promptly left. "Malfoy." He said it short and to the point.</p><p>"Potter." Draco really had nothing else to add.</p><p>"You're not being accused of anything-"</p><p>"Really? Is that why I'm locked in here being interrogated by an Auror?"</p><p>"We need to know what happened, if a previous..." Harry sighed, he didn't want to say Death Eater out loud, "Of course you need to be questioned. Anyone would need to be questioned."</p><p>Draco scoffed at his apparently backtrack and shook his head, "I was eating lunch. I looked up, Riana waved to me through the glass. I went back to eat my food and I heard a bang. I rushed into the lab and couldn't find her. I almost got to her when I guess the fog knocked me out. Now can you please tell me if she is alright?"</p><p>"Riana is fine. She has a cut on her head and possibly a concussion, but the nurses have her and she should have a quick recovery." Harry paused for a second, "Do you know what might have caused the explosion?"</p><p>"Not without seeing exactly what was being used in the vials. Riana and I were working on different things."</p><p>"Isn't it your job to make sure ingredients are up to par and labeled correctly and all of that.. potions stuff?"</p><p>"I'm in Accidental magic, Potter. Not inventory."</p><p>Harry looked like he was about to give him an equally sarcastic comment back when they heard a commotion outside of the door. Something about "just let me in, dammit. I have an explanation" before the door swung open, Harry's wand raised and a blonde woman practically jumped in, closing the door behind her and using her wand to lock it.</p><p>"Hi, I'm sorry for the intrusion. Whoa, okay, please put that thing away. I mean no harm." Carefully, she put her wand in her back pocket. "Um, I'm here to clear up a few things..." The woman put her hands into a praying position near her chin and gave an unsure smile. Both Draco and Harry just looked at her with their mouths slightly open. Then they looked at each other, without even speaking they both shook their heads as to signal they didn't know the blonde American standing in front of them.</p><p>"Ooookay, yeah. I'm sort of gathering this doesn't happen a lot here." She sighed and held out her right hand. "Hello, I'm Sarah Stewart. I just started here at the Ministry about two months ago. I transferred from MACUSA and I'm here on some classified business working in the Department of Mysteries. It was me that caused the explosion. I... went to the lab earlier in the morning to test out some theories I had about cheese doodle dust. I swear, it's relevant..." Sarah shook her head like that part didn't matter right now. "But I clearly didn't clean out one of the test tubes and I'm so, so sorry that happened to your coworker." The woman now identified as Sarah took a deep breath. "I've already reported myself to the Minister. I'm awaiting my own hearing. Sirs, I apologize immensely for the hubbbuub."</p><p>Both Draco and Harry just stared, blinking. Draco was the first to speak up. "What in the bloody hell is cheese doodle dust?"</p><p>"What does hubbub mean?" Harry followed right after.</p><p>Sarah went to talk but shut her mouth as she tried to find the right way to explain. "A cheese doodle is like this little crispy puff that's covered in powdered cheese... very delicious, yet very, very hard to get the orange stain off your fingers. And hubbub is like slang for a mess? Confusion?"</p><p>Harry and Draco just continued to stare at her and Sarah slowly nodded her head. "Okay, so, I apologize again for the confusion. Sorry you got blamed, and I'll be going now. There's two big men outside the door that also want to take me into custody so that will be fun to deal with. Have a good day!" Sarah smiled and in one swift movement was out the door. They made out a faint "get away from me, your breath stinks!"</p><p>They were still stunned before Harry nodded his head towards Draco. "Right. Well, I suppose you're free to go Malfoy."</p><p>Draco just stood up and walked right past him. "Potter." He said it one more time before exiting the room. Draco wasn't sure what had just happened. But for the first time in almost a year that had been a little excitement in his life. He felt something. Concern, confusion, empathy. He was surprised to realize that he had missed feeling. Maybe it was time for him to stop giving into the numbness.</p><p>It had been a week since the incident at the Ministry and Draco actually felt better than he had in a long time. Maybe it had been the simple fact that something bad had happened, but he was not at all a direct cause of it. For once, even when he had been blamed, it wasn't him. His hands were clean, he could continue his life as usual. Of course, every morning now he went over his procedures twice, making sure the potions lab was cleaned, and nothing residual was left over. Riana was still recovering, so he promised her he would pull double the work so she wouldn't have to come back to a disaster.</p><p>Draco found himself staring at a potion one morning when he heard footsteps behind him. Craning his neck, he spotted the blonde American witch who called herself Sarah approaching. She wore muggle type clothes, blue jeans and a jumper. She gave Draco a shy smile and a small wave. "Hi, again."</p><p>Draco turned his head back to what he was doing, he didn't feel like being social right now. "Hello, Miss Stewart. Are you here to meddle with my potions again?"</p><p>Sarah let out a small breathy laugh and shook her head. "No, no. Again, I'm sorry about that." When she got in front of Draco she could see that he was still completely serious. What a stoic man, Sarah thought. But then, most of the Brits she had met so far seemed rather serious, especially for someone with as much spunk as her. "I came to let you know that I sent Riana flowers and wanted to ask... or beg for your forgiveness by letting me buy you lunch?"</p><p>"No, thank you." Draco responded quickly and didn't look back at the American. He could see Sarah wincing out of the corner of his eye. This woman was absolutely horrid at hiding her expressions, he thought. Draco wondered if Kingsley had given her adequate punishment for messing about where she didn't belong. "Now, if you don't mind."</p><p>Sarah stood and watched him for a few more seconds before she opened her mouth like she was going to say something, but didn't. However, just when Draco thought she would finally leave, words came out of her mouth again. "You know, if that's a memory fog potion, you should add some mint extract to it. Mint will help the person not feel so nauseous in the after effects. Less likely to suspect their brain was played with."</p><p>Draco looked at her, shocked. "Extracts? In a potion?"</p><p>"What's so weird about that?"</p><p>"Exactly how long have you been in Britain?"</p><p>"Two months, four days..."</p><p>"We don't do that sort of thing here."</p><p>"Well, maybe you should try. Works wonders for me."</p><p>"Says the woman who put cheese doodle dust in one..." Draco shook his head. "No good, pure blood prodigal son would go against the practices taught and passed down through generations..." Draco had tried to say it in a sarcastic tone, maybe it would make Sarah uncomfortable and leave. He was expecting some sort of backhanded comment back, but when he looked at her she was silent.</p><p>"Pure blood?" Sarah asked, "Like you don't have any no-maj blood — sorry, no muggle blood in your family?"</p><p>Draco had been sure that was pretty straightforward. Even this annoying American should know that. "Yes. Exactly that."</p><p>Sarah was quiet and eyed him for a second. Draco was grateful when she turned around and walked briskly out of the office. He had tried not to sound like a pompous arse lately, but if it meant she would leave him alone indefinitely, he would take it. And then he smiled to himself; because he had actually gotten her to be silent. Draco took her silence as a non-verbal form of surrender.</p><p>But Draco didn't know Sarah at all. Silence for Sarah Stewart simply meant she was thinking.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. i don't have the tools to rebuild me</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Another week went by before Draco had contact with another person, minus the solemn nods he gave other Ministry workers to and from work. When he entered the lab one morning he was pleased to see Riana already at her bench, immersed in a pile of parchment. He tried to make as little noise as possible but Riana looked up to him and smiled and waved. "Draco! So glad to see you, thank you so much for running to my aid! Frankie and the kids want you to come over for dinner also so they can thank you properly."</p><p>Draco just hung his head low and shook it slowly. "There's no need Riana, anyone would've done the same. I'm just glad you're alright and didn't get severely injured." He said it quietly, though he wasn't sure why he was feeling reserved right now. He didn't think he had ever been thanked for doing something for another person. It felt odd, almost like an out of body experience.</p><p>Riana smiled, a genuine smile. It made him feel the first little spark of warmth in a long time. Someone was happy to see him, someone appreciated something he did. There weren't a lot of uplifting moments in his life. Truth be told, there hadn't been a lot to begin with. But knowing that he had actually helped someone and they knew his intentions were good meant a lot to him. Of course, he wouldn't show it, but he smiled back and nodded.</p><p>"Maybe I'll stop by at the end of the week so Caroline can stop bothering you to ask me to get her chocolate frogs." Draco had stopped by Riana's small flat a few times, mostly because he was lonely. Her two children had taken a liking to him because he brought sweets and let them ride on his back like he was a pony. If his father had seen him on all fours in his work slacks with a drooling toddler on his back he was sure he would've died of shock and disgust. But Draco didn't have pleasant memories like that. It was one of the few things that made him feel happy and somewhat normal.</p><p>They went back to their respective tasks and Draco was about to go to the stockroom to grab ingredients when the door opened. Draco felt a knot in his stomach because he was afraid it was Sarah Stewart, but when he walked back into the lab it was Theresa Li, a Ravenclaw that had left Hogwarts a year before him. She was currently the secretary to the Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shacklebot. Draco's eyes never left her as he slowly walked back to his work space. "Mrs. Jeret," Theresa nodded and passed her, making it clear she was here forDraco. "Mr. Malfoy. The minister would like to speak with you about something if you're not terribly busy?"</p><p>The Minister. Wanted to see him. This couldn't be good. But Draco was in no position to decline so he just nodded, set his things down on the table and followed Theresa. Riana gave him a nervous smile, and he nodded at her too.</p><p>Draco desperately wanted to ask her what this was all about, but if he had learned anything in the last seven months, it was to just keep his mouth shut and wait to be asked the questions. Arriving on the floor of the Minister, everyone stared at him as he calmly walked into the office. Draco was expecting a team of Aurors waiting behind the door, no doubt Potter smack dab in the middle waiting to arrest him and bring him to Azkaban. Maybe the Wizengamot had changed their mind about his involvement with Voldemort. Instead, when the door to the Minister's office opened, it was just Kingsley behind his gigantic oak desk. That was, until the door fully opened and the bright eyed, blonde American woman named Sarah sat across the desk, her head slightly turned back towards Draco.</p><p>"Mr. Malfoy, I apologize for the interruption of your work. Would you please have a seat?" Kingsley motioned for the chair next to Sarah. Cautiously, Draco entered and took the seat he was told to.</p><p>"Sir, if this is about the lab incident, Ms. Stewart already admitted to tampering with the potions equipment, I didn't know-"</p><p>"No, no. It's okay Draco. This has nothing to do about that unfortunate accident. This is about a mission that Ms. Stewart is on, actually."</p><p>Draco looked to the young woman who had a small smile on her face, and she turned slightly towards Draco. "I know we didn't exactly get off on the right foot. Admittedly, that's completely my fault. I promise I didn't mean to barge back into your life except to apologize, but when we last spoke you mentioned to me that you're from a pure-maj family. Sorry, um... pure blood family. That caught my attention."</p><p>Kingsley leaned forward on his desk to interject into the conversation. "Draco, I told Sarah to not involve you. However she insisted on presenting you with a proposal..." Draco looked entirely confused. Proposal to him meant that he thought this girl was about to ask him for his hand in marriage. Draco looked shocked and terrified at the same time.</p><p>"I am an Auror for MACUSA, which you know. I was transferred over here right before the last battle with Voldemort for two reasons. One, was to help clean up and organize the mess that happened in the Department of Mysteries, which explains the whole Unspeakable thing and yes, I lied I've been here longer... but the second is because I was also prepared and trained to infiltrate the Death Eaters organization to learn of their plans, and their contacts to the west. I got here right before everything came to an end, so I've sort of been slacking on the last part considering recent events."</p><p>Draco eyed her, and looked at Kingsley with a glare, "So you told her I'm a Death Eater and she could ask me? I didn't know anything that I didn't already tell you-"</p><p>"No, no. Draco." Sarah held her hand up to stop him. "I didn't know you were a Death Eater for sure until this morning. I suspected given your blood status and Voldemort's weird fascination with them. But that's also the exact reason I need you. The US is on the edge of something very similar to both of your Wizarding wars. Hearing that Voldemort had come back and had support lit a fire under a lot of old school Grindelwald supporters. The US isn't like here, we weren't allowed to marry no-maj's, in fact we weren't even allowed to interact with them, until the late 1960's and there's a lot of resentment towards mixed witches and wizards."</p><p>"I still don't see how that is my concern?" Draco had enough of war, enough of pointless battles over hate and judgement. Draco had played his evil part in it all and he was tired. He just wanted to live in peace.</p><p>"I told you, Sarah. Malfoy's don't get involved unless it's going to benefit them somehow," Kingsley almost whispered it under his breath, "Death Eaters are only out for themselves."</p><p>Draco should've been upset, and maybe that was the Minister's intention with the comments that he could blatantly hear. But he had been experiencing this almost daily since Voldemort's fall, instead he focused on a dent in the desk and didn't respond.</p><p>But Sarah Stewart did. "Sir, with all due respect I read Draco's file and to me it didn't sound like he had much of a choice in the matter. Would you have ever gone against your parents and everything you've ever known or been taught? No, I didn't think so." Draco looked up at Sarah, she seemed a little upset. Maybe more than a little upset... "You should not punish the son for the sins of the father. At least consider there's a way to make up for the hurt he's caused." Looking directly into the Minister's eyes she turned back to Draco. "I understand, you've been through a lot. Thanks for listening to me ramble on, at least." With a nod, Sarah stood up and grabbed her jacket that was draped over the back of the chair and headed towards the door.</p><p>"Wait!" Draco stood up, recognizing that feeling again. Intuition, gut, that inner voice. Whatever it was, all Draco really cared about was the fact that he was feeling. That he might actually have an opportunity to right some wrongs.</p><p>
  <i>Do not punish the son for the sins of the father.</i>
</p><p>"What do you need me to do?"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. you don't have to be a ghost here amongst the living</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Draco didn't realize how intensive this "mission" was. He followed Sarah back to her department, which was the Department of Mysteries; a place he was sure was off limits to him as a previous Death Eater, if it wasn't for his new "purpose" in the magical community. The department was dark and dreary, it gave a creepy feeling no matter where he turned his head. However, Draco realized that they had just gone there for Sarah's bag and wand and she nodded towards the atrium. Where were they going?</p><p>He was reluctant to let Sarah buy him that apology lunch she had offered weeks ago, but she said it would be easier to discuss things there. She chose a muggle restaurant blocks away and they sat, menus in their hands reading over the selections. Draco was completely out of his element and tense. He had never been to a muggle restaurant before. It seemed Sarah could sense his uneasiness and she leaned into him. "A waitress is going to come over and ask you what you want to drink and eat. Just answer her questions and you'll be fine. Don't worry if she comes back every few minutes, they like to check on their patrons so they get good tips. Service is important." Draco didn't reply but scanned the menu over again. Exactly like Sarah said, a woman in an all black outfit came over with a small notepad and asked them what they wanted. When they were done, she took the menus and Sarah breathed out, linking her hands together on the table in front of her.</p><p>"I don't want to overwhelm you with information, but this is... sort of a long term agreement. It involves a lot of different aspects, mostly the ability to lie and deceive. I will need to know immediately if you are uncomfortable with anything and sadly, you will probably be dismissed. But from what I read, I believe you and I could pull this off and do a lot of good for the Wizarding community."</p><p>"Lies and deceit, yeah? Is that why you chose me?" Draco scowled at her. Maybe he had come for the wrong reasons, maybe this was just a ploy for him to use the worst parts of himself like everyone else wanted.</p><p>"Draco, let's get something clear right now. I don't beat around the bush, I tell it like it is. Yes, I need you for your ability to lie and deceive. I don't judge you for it. You spent what? Three years lying and deceiving one of the most vile, evil monsters of all time. You might have been branded a Death Eater, but you didn't share their values. Why wouldn't you consider that a strength?"</p><p>Draco wanted to reply, but he honestly didn't have anything to say. In a way, she was right. He had been on the wrong side, but he had noticed it early enough to try and find a way out for his family. It's why he didn't give up Potter, it's why he took the punishment of being tortured by his crazy aunt for hours for pissing off the Dark Lord. Maybe at that point the idea of death was more enticing than his life of servitude.</p><p>"I don't need you to be anybody other than yourself. You name, your blood status, your family and their wealthy mansion with house elves. I need Draco Malfoy. I will be Sarah Stewart, the disappointment. What we need to lie about is our relationship. We need to be 'engaged', ideally, so that I can restore the family name of Stewart by marrying a pure blood to make up for my father's mistake."</p><p>"Your family!? Your family is a part of all of this?" Draco asked, pointing his finger at her. "Do you really expect them to believe that you met me and fell in love within a few months? I'm sure any of them can access my information if they need to." Draco didn't know what the American version of a Death Eater was, but he was sure if they were interested in blood lines, there was a way to access information from anywhere. It was what Voldemort had been working on before Potter made his whereabouts known.</p><p>Sarah sat back in her chair and thanked the waitress who returned with their food and drinks. "That's why I said long term. We don't have to be 'engaged' right away. But faking a relationship to prove to my grandfather that I'm serious about stepping into the family again, is unfortunately, my best option. My mother was a no-maj, and put my father's side to shame when they got married and had kids. I've spent the last year convincing my grandfather that I could use my position in MACUSA to help him with information, and one of the tasks was information about Voldemort. Imagine how pleased he'll be when his granddaughter returns home with one of his most loyal followers as her boyfriend?" A wicked smirk was plastered across Sarah's face when she said the last part, popping something off her plate and into her mouth. "What do you say? I mean, Draco, I know I'm not Miss America, but I think you could do a lot worse."</p><p>"Miss America?" He asked, shaking his head. "You Americans are awfully bizarre." He didn't give her an answer but ate some of his food. This didn't sound like anything he wanted to be a part of, but something pulled at him because like Riana, Sarah really didn't hold his past against him. It sounded like trouble, though. Trouble he didn't really want. His other options were to go back to the Ministry's Muggle Accidents floor, go home to his parents and their old mansion and old money and old traditions of marrying him off probably to a disgusting Greengrass, or traveling to a new place where no one except Sarah and her family knew of him. A fresh start. An ocean between him and every person who called him names and spat at his feet. Perhaps even peace, eventually. Finally, Draco looked up at Sarah and nodded with a small smile. "Alright darling, I'm in. Let's fool your grandfather."</p>
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<a name="section0005"><h2>5. you are flesh and blood</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The next morning, arrangements were made between the Ministry and MACUSA for Draco to be transferred to their records. Kingsley was clearly still uncomfortable with the idea of letting Draco, as a Malfoy, into another country on behalf of the Ministry, but Sarah squashed that as soon as she could with a snarky <i>'if he's so goddamn dangerous why isn't he rotting in a cell in Azkaban???'</i> Sure, Sarah was annoying to bloody hell, but he had to admire her willingness to stick up for other people. Something, maybe he should try.</p><p>It took a few days to get everything in order. Draco considered letting his parents know what was going on, but the longer he thought about contacting them, the more he came to terms with knowing they would try and convince him not to go, if only just to use him to restore their reputation; not show any sort of concern for his well-being.</p><p>Draco packed up a few things into a weekend bag, some changes of clothes, personal items, and changed over money from the UK to US (though Sarah said not to worry about expenses, he had always been taught to be prepared), and studied maps of the "northeast" of North America — the only generalized location they could give him. Sarah said they would most likely be going to a few places. Maybe Draco should have paid attention more in Muggle Studies; it looked like all of the UK could fit in just a few of the states in the US. What was he really getting himself into?</p><p>They were scheduled to leave for America the day after Yule. Sarah had no family in the UK and Draco was not in any sort of mood to see his parents, so he asked if she wanted to come over for dinner and to discuss the details of their situation. Whether either wanted to pretend or not, after the information he had received, faking a romantic relationship seemed like the best way to infiltrate the pure blood supporters; it was only second to murder.</p><p>Sarah showed up early, which didn't surprise him. They had casual talk, mostly about what it was like to live in the heart of London and what Draco had to do with the flat while he was away. Draco was hardly a cook, so he ordered take out for them. Sarah didn't seem to mind as she helped him set the small two person table in the closet sized kitchen. The food was delivered and the two of them sat down.</p><p>Draco, surprisingly, spoke first. "Considering we are going into this as a 'couple', I suppose we should learn a bit about each other? Have you been in a relationship before?"</p><p>"I think that's a good idea. It will definitely be easier to discuss details while we are still here in London. But, yeah. I dated a guy my last year at Ilvermorny. I didn't think he was going to be the person I married, but we had fun. What about you? I'm sure you had your run at Hogwarts?" Sarah knew that even though the Malfoy's had been branded as ex-death eaters after Voldemort's first defeat, his father had played it smart and worked at ministry. The Malfoy's had always known power... until now.</p><p>"Yeah I had a few. Notably one in my fifth year. When ... everything happened I didn't have time for anything like that. She still tries to send me an owl here and there."</p><p>"Why don't you give it a shot?" Sarah also had a knack for asking questions that someone might not want to answer.</p><p>"Mostly because she either wants me for the pure blood status," Sarah smirked at that, considering it was the reason she needed him. "Or she's been completely outcast of Wizarding society for what happened and she thinks I'm miserable enough to give in to her."</p><p>"It might not be. Maybe she just misses you."</p><p>"I doubt it, Pansy Parkinson wouldn't do anything that didn't immediately benefit herself or her interests." Draco shrugged, pushing food around on his plate. "But, I meant to ask... since I always forget there's a school in America, what house were you in?"</p><p>Sarah perked up, pulling the sleeve of her sweatshirt up and turned the front of her right hand towards Draco, revealing a silver ring in the shape of a snake that wound around her middle finger. It was actually quite large, Draco was surprised he hadn't caught it on her before. "Horned serpent. Looks like we're just a pair of slippery snakes."</p><p>Draco gave a breathy laugh and nodded. "Bet your grandfather will be pleased about that." Sarah smiled and nodded. There was a minute of silence and the pair continued to eat.</p><p>"Are you okay with physical displays, during this?" Sarah asked, somewhat shyly. Draco looked up with wide eyes. He had considered asking her this question as well. But he hadn't really formed an answer to it. He wasn't ever the most affectionate person. Especially in public. "Nothing crazy!" Sarah quickly followed up her last question now seeing Draco's face. "Like hand holding, arms around each other, maybe a kiss here or there... nothing like... physical."</p><p>Clearing his throat, Draco wiped his face and nodded. "I suppose if we are going to convince everyone that we are together there needs to be some sort of physical contact." He'd never brought any girl home to his parents. Pansy and him only ever saw each other at school. "I don't mind, is what I really mean. Maybe before we can just try and give some sort of clue it's coming?" He didn't know how that sounded. "I just don't know how I'll react if you blindside me, I've never really been an affectionate type of guy. Honestly, I don't have a lot of experience being a 'boyfriend' in public at all." Draco didn't really know what sort of guy he was in a romantic relationship, let alone a long term one. He had spent the last three years trying to make his parents proud and also keep them alive.</p><p>Sarah only gave a small nod. She knew this situation would be difficult in more than just one way. "You don't need to explain, I think there's plenty of time before we need to worry about that, too. Maybe we should just talk about ourselves? For example, as my boyfriend, I guess you should know my favorite color is yellow. And my favorite food is apple pie."</p><p>Draco gave a half smile. "I guess those are things I should know. I am terribly boring and my favorite color is red and my favorite food-"</p><p>He was interrupted with a knock at the door and his eyebrows furrowed. Sarah's posture shot up and she instinctively went to her wand. They gave each other a look and Draco stood up, his own wand within reach. Hesitating, Draco unlocked the door and without notice, it flew open and Lucius Malfoy came strolling in.</p><p>"Honestly, Draco. You call this a proper standard of living?" Lucius snarled, cane in his hand, and pulled out a white handkerchief to wipe his hand on after touching the doorknob. He stood in front of Draco, back turned to Sarah who just sat there quietly. "This is embarrassing. First, you leave your family for this poor, dilapidated stint of independence and now you're refusing to come home for the holidays. Your mother is most displeased, and we are expecting you home first thing in the morning." Draco just kept his face free of emotion, but his eyes said otherwise. If this was a year ago, he would've listened to his father without hesitation. But it wasn't a year ago.</p><p>"Sorry Father, but I won't be returning to the Manor for Yule." Sarah could see his father's posture go rigid. "You are welcome to leave now if you're that uncomfortable." Sarah could hear Lucius scoff and turn towards the door. Sarah stayed still because she just felt like Draco didn't want his dad to see her. It was too late, Lucius saw the blonde sitting at the table, her face twisting into an unsure frown.</p><p>"Well, what do we have here, Draco? A lady friend?"</p><p>Draco's cheeks flushed, and Sarah could see the look of dread on his face. Instead of leaving it to him to explain, Sarah got up, smoothing out her clothes and smiled. "Hello, Mr. Malfoy. It's a pleasure to meet you. I apologize, I wish it were under better circumstances, I know Draco meant to make dinner plans for us and your wife. My name is Sarah Stewart, I'm Draco's girlfriend." Sarah stepped forward, her blue eyes shining bright and held her hand out for Lucius to shake.</p><p>Lucius hesitantly reached out to shake her hand and looked her up and down. He was clearly examining Draco's choice and Draco swallowed hard. Sarah was so quick with her response. He had been like that once. Quick witted, able to think on his feet. He desperately needed to get back to that, especially with what he agreed to do for the ministry. "Yes, again, apologies Father. I didn't want you to meet Sarah like this." Draco stepped forward, parallel to his father.</p><p>"Sarah..." The name came off of Lucius' tongue and he looked at Draco. "An American? Really?" He looked back at Sarah. "At least she is attractive. Why don't you both come to the Manor tomorrow, then?"</p><p>"Thank you for the offer, Mr. Malfoy. But I already agreed to spend the evening with my own family and then I'm off to Boston for work. Draco and I were just spending the last day together before we won't see each other for a while." Sarah looked at Draco with adoration and Draco had to take a deep breath. The sincerity in her eyes when Sarah looked at him, she almost had him fooled. Lucius followed the girl's eyes and raised his own eyebrows. From Draco's perspective, he looked convinced.</p><p>Lucius tapped his cane on the floor and turned to the door once more. "Well, as soon as you return I will expect you to present her to your mother, Draco. You know she would like to get to know any other women in your life." Draco nodded, and in a second Lucius was out the door without even giving Sarah a second glance.</p><p>Both of them stood still as they heard the familiar sound associated with apparating and Draco took another deep breath. "I'm sorry, I had no idea he was going to come here."</p><p>Sarah just shook her head. "It's okay. He seems <i>fun</i>." Her comment was clearly sarcastic and Draco just gave a small laugh and nodded. They resumed dinner, however, neither decided to bring up anything else about the 'romantic' aspect of this mission. After dinner, they said their goodbyes and Draco looked around at his "disgusting" flat. He liked it here. He had felt a sense of purpose for once. Tomorrow would be something new, though. Draco just hoped he was ready for it.</p>
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<a name="section0006"><h2>6. you deserve to be loved</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The next morning, Draco received warning after warning after warning on what was expected of him. He had internally stopped listening about 45 seconds in. He was thinking about the night before and how easily Sarah was able to come up with an excuse for her being in his flat. She played it so nicely and eased right into it. He was rigid and stiff and tremendously damaged. Draco was starting to realize that maybe he had agreed to this to be his own demise. But now, seeing what Sarah might be capable of, perhaps doing something good natured was actually obtainable.</p><p>Sarah had already been summoned to the MACUSA office in Boston when Draco apparated there. He stepped out of the alcove in the corridor and looked around. It was much smaller than the ministry, and a lot less crowded. Still, he had no idea where he was and he did his best to straighten out his clothes and glance around without drawing too much attention to himself.</p><p>Draco heard his name and turned and there Sarah was, jogging towards him. "Hey, how was your trip?" She smirked, knowing it was a silly question and he just shook his head. "C'mon let me introduce you to everyone." She led him down a very narrow corridor and into an office that might have been smaller than his flat. "Everyone, this is Draco. Draco, this is everyone."</p><p>Sarah began with the scrawny man to the right of her. "This is Joseph Rasp. He is an open book about Grindelwald, as in, he's studied him his entire life. Not a follower, just someone who has really weird hobbies and interests." The man gave a small wave before sitting down and taking out a book. "So far he's been invaluable at tracking down small areas where supporters seem to be growing."</p><p>"Over here are Redd and Linney Ambrose. A very prestigious, pure blood family here in the states. They are also helping us with tracking groups and are "in charge" of one in just north of us in New Hampshire. They're close with my grandfather and are our biggest asset so far. Maxim has yet to trust me completely, but he's known the Ambrose family since childhood."</p><p>"And this is Anders," Draco turned to the darker skinned man standing in the corner. He was stoic, but had a very piercing glare. Anders was by every standard, incredibly good looking as well. And it was pretty clear he was sizing Draco up. The intimidation he felt was almost immediate. Draco just turned back to Sarah to pay attention.</p><p>"Anders is an indigenous wizard from a local tribe who reached out to us. Usually, MACUSA and natives don't work together often since we have different governing offices, but the pure blood ideology is actually making its way into their community. Apparently now it's pure blood no matter what. In previous times our world wasn't very kind to theirs." Draco could see her stare soften when she looked at Anders. His gaze softened when he looked back. Draco could sense some sort of history there. Turning back to Draco she shrugged. "This is our main team. Small, discreet, but we are on the inside. There are others in MACUSA who have taken the unbreakable vow to help us but information is only shared as needed. We do not discuss this with others. At all. Nobody else can be trusted." Everyone nodded. "We meet back here every other week. In between, we send owls to drop spots."</p><p>Their meeting was fairly short. Draco had been given a lot of information about the "Council of the Arcane" which was (in his opinion) a hilarious name for their pure blood elitist group. At least Death Eater was a little bit daunting. They gave Draco a piece of parchment with names and members on it. He couldn't help but notice his own name scribbled at the bottom. He looked at Sarah, curious as to why his name was there.</p><p>"I actually spoke with my grandfather before you got here. He's very excited to meet you. I don't think I've ever heard him so joyous, honestly." A sad expression was on Sarah's face as she idly moved some books around in front of her. "It's not in stone, but I'm being optimistic you'll be inducted into COA in no time."</p><p>Draco was having a hard time reading if Sarah was sad her grandfather needed her to be with a pure blood to be accepted, or if she was just so tired from all of the prejudice and discrimination she had spoken about witnessing the last year. He actually felt bad for her, which was ironic considering what he had been through the last year. And what he had done in the last two. Draco had never had to worry about his family accepting him, though. He shook his head, rattling himself out of his inner thoughts and read over the list in his hand one more time.</p><p>He had a lot of research to do before he met Maxim Stewart.</p><p>Sarah apparated them back to her home, a small cottage just outside of Boston. It had apparently belonged to her mother's family, another reason why her grandfather would likely never show up here. "It's got two bedrooms so figured you could just stay here." Draco agreed it made more sense. "But we have to talk about some stuff. I promised the team I would tell you, because you deserve to know. Find me when you're ready to talk."</p><p>Draco settled in and arranged his stuff. When he found Sarah, she was sitting at a table in the kitchen and had two mugs of tea poured. "Alright, I believe I'm settled. Let's have this talk, shall we?" He offered, sitting across from her.</p><p>"I like to get straight to the point so here it is — my grandfather killed my mother. There is no proof, except witnesses that we obviously can't find. My father... he couldn't take her death. He took his own life about a year after. My sisters moved out west, wanting nothing to do with the magical community after seeing what it did to our parents. And that leaves me as the end of the Stewart line. And I won't lie when I say I intend to see my grandfather pay. Whatever you see me do to earn his trust, please don't judge me. Because every time I push my morals aside it's because I see my mother's face haunting me every night." He could see the desperation in Sarah's eyes. Draco could relate to doing whatever necessary to see an end. He had just been too chicken shit to actually do it. Would Sarah do the same?</p><p>But Draco admired someone who could put themselves out there like that. He was never that way. He had been taught to be trained and calculated. Always holding the cards, but only making the move if it was necessary.</p><p>Draco stopped for a moment to process his thoughts and leaned forward on the table. "I've done a lot of horrible things to keep my family together, but even on our worst day I was fortunate that Voldemort never took his full anger out on them. I can't hide from you my own motives, which are to right the wrongs I've done. And if that means bringing peace to you, and helping others not fall to the hands of ruthless men, I will not judge you. I cannot judge you considering the things I've done."</p><p>Sarah nodded and they stayed silent for a few minutes, but Draco continued. "From here I will be the supportive boyfriend, and I do believe that means helping you. Whatever it might be. However, I do have a warning for you... in pure blood families, there's a sort of arrogance and attitude. To blend in I might have to go back to being that person. It might involve..."</p><p>While Draco was trying to think of the words, Sarah finished them for him, "You're superior to me. Playing the fact that I'm half no-maj gives you an edge." Draco swallowed and looked at her and nodded. "Draco, I want you to do whatever you need to in order for me to find out who it was that killed my mother. I know we don't know each other very well, but if i start doubting you from the start, I won't be able to hold it together. I agree with what we said last night to give as much warning as possible, but I'm stronger than I look. Nothing you say to me, or do to tear me down in public could be any worse than something that's been said before. Especially by my own family."</p><p>Draco couldn't tell if the knot in his stomach was a warning that ominous times lie ahead or if it was admiration for the woman sitting across from him. Sarah was a realist, that much was clear, but Draco could sense even she didn't know what her end game was. And so their "mission" started, two lost and lonely young adults thrown into the middle of a war no one spoke about. A war that only continued because of actions taken by generations before them.</p>
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<a name="section0007"><h2>7. and you deserve what you are given</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The first meeting with her grandfather went well. Sarah played the doting granddaughter, grateful and humbled to be back in her family’s good graces. Draco stood proud and arrogant as ever, but respectful. It seemed Maxim took to Draco immediately as he brought him into the back room; a men’s only area and showed him around. Draco knew he was being examined and this was only the beginning of it. He couldn’t help but notice that Maxims right hand man, Gary, was always around. He couldn’t put his finger on it just yet, but he got an off feeling about him. Something told him to keep an eye out for anything suspicious he might do.</p><p>The younger men were intrigued with Draco. Truth be told, Draco was intrigued with them as well. He didn’t know much about American culture, but it didn’t seem very different from what he was used to. Pure blood was the dominant subject with these men, anyway. </p><p>Maxim rounded out the men with a toast to Draco, the man was taller than most in the room and everyone gave their attention to him when he entered a crowd. It was hard not to. “A welcome toast to Mr. Malfoy, a man so dedicated to our cause he was willing to cross oceans for it.” A light chuckle came from the men and everyone took a sip of champagne. This was much more sophisticated than Death Eater meetings. </p><p>“Sir, it helped that your granddaughter is breathtakingly gorgeous,” Draco added, holding his glass up again. Maxim liked the comment and nodded in agreement, the gentlemen taking another sip of their beverages. Gary was glaring at Draco from across the room. He’d felt the man's eyes on him since the second they met. For the first time in almost a year, Draco wouldn’t mind having to be a complete prick to someone. And something told him Gary wouldn’t hesitate to bring him to that place. So Draco turned and made eye contact with the man. They stared at each other for a few minutes, Draco never breaking his gaze. He wanted Gary to know that he couldn’t be intimidated. </p><p>Eventually Gary looked away because someone started yelling on the other side of the room. Draco only hoped that Gary would remember it, but Draco felt like they would have a lot more staring contests in the future.</p><p>Business became serious a little while later. Maxim delegated tasks to everyone in the room. However, because Draco was not an official member, he was asked to step out and took that chance to look for Sarah. He found her sitting on the floor in the room they were sharing for the weekend. She had items sprawled out all around her, some of them hovering off of the ground. Draco didn’t alert her of his presence because was watching her charm different objects and all he could think was that her magic was lovely. She moved her wand for effortlessly, barely whispering incantations. Draco eventually closed the door behind him, and Sarah turned to him. “Hey, how did the meeting go?”</p><p>“Well, I had to leave for the actual meeting but I think it's safe to say your grandfather likes me. I did sort of kiss his arse.” Draco grinned, taking a seat on the end of the bed. “What’s with all of this?” He nodded to the objects around Sarah.</p><p>“Oh, it’s just something I used to do when I was younger and nervous. When I was little I’d make my toys dance around me. Made me forget what was bothering me.”</p><p>Draco nodded. “I used to go out in the back of the manor. We have a fountain. It’s… incredibly ostentatious. But I’d make the water change color.” Sarah smiled at Draco and laughed. </p><p>“I can just imagine you all tiny with platinum hair, scowling.”</p><p>“Oh, I was the absolute biggest little shite you’d ever meet.” Both of them laughed now. “I thought the world revolved around me.” Draco had a proud grin on his face, but Sarah could see that underneath he was distant. </p><p>Sarah stood up and brushed herself off. “Considering why we’re here...Keep thinking that way, ‘cause you are my world.” She gave a horribly obnoxious wink before sauntering off to the bathroom. All Draco could do was shake his head and take a deep breath. He knew he’d have to be that person again.</p><p> </p><p>The weekend was to be spent at the grand colonial house; it had been in the Stewart family since the settlement of America. That night there was going to be a formal dinner before their monthly meeting. Sarah and Draco were sharing a bedroom pretty close to where the activities were. From experience, this worried Draco because of his history with occlumency, and he wondered how familiar Sarah was in that area. He chose a simple black suit, with a gray tie. He didn’t need to stand out. His primary task right now was to absorb all the information he could. Draco pushed one of his sleeves up to look at the time on his watch and looked at the bathroom door. “Sarah, we’re going to be late.”</p><p>“Oof,” Sarah rounded the bathroom door, clearly uncomfortable in the heels she was wearing. When she finally got her balance she stood up and looked at Draco, wide eyed. “This is too much, isn’t it? It is. Right? Too much..” Second guessing herself, Draco raised his eyebrows when he looked her over; she was wearing a sapphire knee length dress that made her eyes stand out beautifully. It hugged her figure just enough to see what was there, but also to keep someone guessing. Little gold stars lined the bottom hem, adding a bit of playfulness that Sarah had. Her hair was down, blonde curls draping over her shoulders. She had done her makeup classic and simple, but she didn’t need much.</p><p>“No,” Draco barely said it, clearing his throat as he remembered she had asked him a question. “Honestly, you look beautiful. You’re going to be the one everyone looks at, which will be a good thing. Heir to the Stewart empire.” He gave her a smile and he could see her cheeks getting flushed. Sarah walked towards him and instinctively reached for his tie.</p><p>“It’s a little crooked,” Sarah explained, loosening the knot a bit to adjust it. “Tonight is important.” Draco nodded, he could sense that without being told.</p><p>“I might get handsy,” his tone turned serious as he met her eyes. “Every wizard here of marrying age is going to want your attention. You are someone else’s ticket into an established family. I am going to want them to know that you are off limits.” </p><p>Sarah finished up with his tie and smiled at him. “I am yours, Draco Malfoy.” It was unspoken in their gaze that over the last few days they had reiterated that whatever needed to be done was the game plan. Communicate whenever possible, but assured intentions were good.</p><p>“Also, you’re going to want to hold onto me so I can escort you into the dining room.”</p><p>“Huh? Why?”</p><p>“You’re absolute rubbish in heels, you look like a bloody newborn fawn.” Draco’s smile grew wide and Sarah laughed. He couldn’t remember the last time he had a connection with someone who didn’t have ulterior motives. Sure, Sarah was using him to a point, but it was clear they genuinely liked each other’s company. He’d never had much room for hope, though. Draco vowed to enjoy it while it lasted. “Now, let’s go make everyone envious.” Offering his arm, Sarah enthusiastically took it and they headed downstairs.</p><p> </p><p>The Ambrose’s were the first to come over and greet them. Draco and the couple were perfect at their “first meeting” and Redd brought Draco over to Maxim to talk “about business” while Sarah went with the women and gossiped. Sarah couldn’t believe that in the way no-maj society was today that this group of people could feel so old-fashioned and stuck in time. Dinner went off without a hitch and Sarah was definitely the star of the show. Maxim showed off his granddaughter to the council, and Sarah beamed as the bright and beautiful heir to the Stewart name. Just as Draco had expected, most of the eligible men had tried to get her attention, even if it was just for a few minutes.</p><p>The party had been far from over, though, as everyone headed into the lounge for drinks and socializing. Wine, ale, and mead were the drinks for the night and Sarah and Draco chose their preferred drink and mingled. Draco’s arm was always on Sarah’s back if she was near him, and if she wasn’t, the two were constantly exchanging glances from wherever they were. When Draco had said everyone was going to be envious he didn’t expect it to be entirely true. But it was, he knew there were whispers from person to person about their relationship and from what Redd and Linney had said under their breath, they were doing a damn good job of making it look legitimate. </p><p>As the night was coming to a close, Draco had lost track of Sarah. He had gotten distracted by a group of men around his age and knowing the importance of truly fitting in that meant socializing. He had asked a few people if they had seen her, jokes already going around about him losing his “half blood”. Finally, Linney pointed Draco in the direction of what she called the library. It was at the top of the house, Draco definitely would’ve considered this an attic. </p><p>When he opened the door it was like walking into an actual library. There must have been some sort of spell to enlarge the space. Herbs were hung all around on the top of shelves stocked with apothecary bottles. It was like a little piece of each of his Hogwarts classes in one room. It looked well used and well loved, and he spotted Sarah on a table, reading a book. “There you are,” he called out so as not to startle her. Sarah turned and greeted him with a smile. “What are you doing in here?” </p><p>“Doing some research while I can. I wasn’t allowed access to this room much when I was growing up.” </p><p>“Find out anything good?” </p><p>“Not really, I’m swiping a few books on earth magic. We didn’t get to study it at Ilvermorny. Of course all the family history and juicy secrets are in the ceremony room library. I’ll probably never have access to that. But that’s why I have you.” Sarah’s smile turned proud and Draco just gave her a small one back. </p><p>“I’ve never heard of earth magic. What is it?” He rounded the table and leaned up against it standing next to her, crossing his arms over his chest.</p><p>“Really? Probably because it comes from indigenous magic. I guess since we don’t really know where magic comes from, they came up with the idea it’s from the earth — like, the elements. I think it makes sense. I also think it’s why they’re so skilled at wandless magic. I learned about it from Anders’ family. They became my family when dad passed.” </p><p>“It explains why he is so overprotective of you.”</p><p>“Is he? I guess I never noticed since he has just always been like that.” </p><p>Draco didn’t know why he got a wave of jealousy when Anders was around or when Sarah spoke about him. He constantly tried to ignore it, but it was always creeping up on him. “I don’t know about you, but I’m tired. Would you care to turn in for the night?” </p><p>Sara glanced to the clock, realizing it was well past midnight and nodded.</p>
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<a name="section0008"><h2>8. way down we go</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>*18+ warning. Sexual content ahead.*</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The next day they returned back to Sarah’s cottage. Sarah seemed more worn out than Draco did, but when he thought about it, she had to be a lot more deceitful than he did. His character had always played to arrogance, superiority, and rubbing it all in other’s faces. He liked to think that he wasn’t exactly like that anymore, but there weren’t many people for him to interact with nowadays. Draco was also realizing more as the days went on that he didn’t mind Sarah’s company. Where he first viewed her as annoying, now he wanted to be in her presence. She was loud sometimes, and said what was on her mind, but she meant well. She was definitely very dedicated to her cause and Draco was pretty sure she would be willing to go to any length to accomplish it. Perhaps that was where they differed. Sarah had conviction.</p><p>“Do you want to go to a bar for dinner?” Sarah asked him as he was zoning out the window.</p><p>“Hm?” Draco hadn’t caught what she said.</p><p>“Do you want to go to a bar? It’s basically a pub, but our beer is probably subpar. I figured it might be nice to get away from… my life for a while.” Sarah shrugged, it was a typical thing for her.</p><p>“There’s going to be no-maj’s there. So no magic.” Draco stopped for a second. Sure, he had been dealing with the muggle world for a while in London, but this was unfamiliar.</p><p>“You’ll help me if I look like a fool?” Draco was being serious, but Sarah laughed. It only partially hurt his feelings.</p><p>“You’re going to be fine. It’s food, drinks, and maybe dancing.”</p><p>“<i>Dancing!?</i>”</p><p> </p><p>Sarah was right about the atmosphere being similar to a pub. It was walking distance from her house and they found a table in a back corner to sit in. She ordered a bunch of things Draco had never heard of and when they arrived his eyes grew wide. The waitress also came back with beers for them both and Sarah practically chugged hers.</p><p>Draco took a sip, much more of a wine person than an ale drinker. He didn’t mind it and continued drinking. However, the food that had been delivered looked, well, gross to him. “Sarah, none of these look appetizing at all.”</p><p>She laughed. “Ironic considering most of them are appetizers.”</p><p>“These?”</p><p>“Just try one of these.” She pushed a plate towards Draco with something breaded and fried and sauce on the side. Draco took a bite and when he went to pull it away from his mouth cheese just stretched out in front of him. Sarah laughed, and leaned forward to pinch off the cheese.</p><p>“That is actually very delicious, but incredibly awkward to eat.” Sarah filled him in on the things in front of him. The alcohol had them both loosening up and as the night went on music started playing and more people arrived. The music was much different from what he was used to, and people were dancing to it. “How can people dance to this?” Draco asked, watching a few women probably close in age to him move their bodies. “I’ve only ever danced to slow music. And I had a partner.”</p><p>Sarah shrugged. “I guess you just move your body to the music? I’m not much of a dancer. I’m always here for the beer. I work a lot and I live alone so I mostly come here just to be around people. Never dance though.” She finished off the rest of her drink and pushed it to the side. “Wanna get going? If I have anything else to drink you might have to carry me back.”</p><p>Draco nodded, Sarah threw down a bunch of muggle money and they got up from the booth they were sitting in. The women Draco had been looking at were giggling and he was still stealing glances at them. Not out of interest, but out of curiosity of the music and the dancing. One of the women blindsided him as he was trying to follow Sarah through the crowd. She grabbed him and had her arms around his neck.</p><p>“Now what is a good looking guy like you leaving so soon for?” She purred into his ear and Draco stiffened up looking for Sarah. He was completely out of his element right now. </p><p>“Uh, I actually am with someone…” Draco tried to get her arms off of him but she was nearly pressing herself against him. “Fuck,” he mouthed it as the woman was practically rubbing her ass on his crotch and he knew the natural response that would happen. It didn’t help that he hadn’t been with a woman in years. He liked the sensation but this woman was clearly drunk and he kept trying to push her away.</p><p>“Ooooh you’re British!?” The brunette turned to face him, hands sliding up his sweater and he just swallowed. "That just made you a thousand times sexier."</p><p>“Yes, um, I’m really not-“</p><p>“Back off of the blonde!” Sarah appeared next to Draco, grabbing the brunette's arm and pulling her off of Draco. “Can’t you see he’s not interested?”</p><p>“Who the fuck are you?” The brunette was viscous, getting up in Sarah’s face. “<i>Clearly</i> not his girlfriend, he could do way better.” Sarah didn’t answer her, but Draco was confused. Draco thought Sarah was beautiful. The brunette laughed. “You look like you belong in a library, stacking books. Why don't you run along and go back to reading something instead of getting involved in shit you shouldn't be.”</p><p>This annoyed Draco and he grabbed Sarah, cupping one of her cheeks and kissed her hard on the mouth. Thank god she had her long, curly hair down tonight to cover the surprised look on her face, but one of her hands rested on Draco’s chest as she eased into it. She tasted like beer and mint chapstick and Draco didn’t mind at all. In fact, he wanted to taste more. When he pulled away, the brunette was in shock. “She’s not my girlfriend, she’s my fiancé.” Draco put his arm around Sarah’s waist and guided her away from the crowd of dancers. When they finally left the building, he let go of her waist and shook his head. “Sorry, I didn’t know what else to do to get her to back off. I just did the first thing that came to mind.”</p><p>Sarah didn’t look at him, mostly because she might have still been blushing. “It’s okay.” She just said it softly as they walked along the road.</p><p>“You’re not cross with me, are you?” Draco stopped and grabbed her arm so she would face him. It wasn’t like her to not have twenty things to say.</p><p>“No, not at all.” Sarah shook her head, but she was avoiding eye contact with him. “I just had too much to drink. I've got bar smell on me and I just want to shower and pass out for the night.” Draco gave her a look that said he didn’t believe her but she pulled her arm away from him quickly. Had he really fucked up that bad? How were they supposed to convince her grandfather they were a couple if she got weird when they kissed? They spent the rest of the walk back in silence.</p><p> </p><p>Both of them went to their respective rooms and showered when they got back. Sarah was in the kitchen when Draco came down in sweatpants and a tee shirt. Sarah had made a horrible decision and had already had two more glasses of wine before Draco entered, her hair in a braid and she was dressed in a tank top and leggings. Draco had to stop looking at her as she bent down to put pots and pans away. The alcohol was still buzzing in him. Sarah didn’t know what came over her tonight but she was going to beat the shit out of that girl if Draco hadn’t kissed her.</p><p>When Sarah was coming back up from putting something away, she bumped her head on the side of the counter. “Ow, dammit!” Draco simply walked over and motioned for her to raise her hand off her head so he could see. </p><p>“Hold on,” He said, his hands on her hips and he lifted her up on the counter. Draco grabbed her chin softly and tilted her head towards the light to get a better look. Sarah nearly shivered when he touched her “No bump, I think you’ll be fine.” His eyes met Sarah’s but she still looked uneasy. “Please don’t be mad at me about earlier at the bar. It was uncalled for, I didn’t even think about if it would be something you wouldn’t like. I just acted.”</p><p>Sarah just looked at him, a swarm of inappropriate thoughts in her head. She knew it was wrong. This was supposed to be professional. No attachment. There was no reason for her to be propped up on her counter wishing he’d kiss her right now. Hoping he’d put his hands back on her hips. “You just caught me off guard.” Sarah said it softly. “And for the record, I liked it.” Red flushed her cheeks and Draco raised an eyebrow. </p><p>They stared at each other for a moment and Draco’s hands rested on her hips, and he couldn’t help but grip them a little tighter. “Maybe we should practice…” he offered, and he could feel Sarah tense up when he touched her. "So it's not so awkward if we have to do it in front of people again..."</p><p>“Maybe…” she countered and wrapped her legs around Draco’s waist. He was now flush up against her and he exhaled. This was dangerous. But Draco had always had poor impulse control and he initiated the kiss first. It was unlike the one before, he gently brushed her lips with his own. Her arms crept up around his neck and one of his hands started to glide up her body. </p><p>It didn’t take long for their kissing to get needy. Hands were tangled in each other’s hair and their bodies pressing up against one another’s. Sarah could clearly feel the erection through Draco’s pants and she moaned when he pressed his hips into hers. He lifted her up and walked her a few steps to the couch, laying her down on it. They never stopped kissing until Draco pulled back and leaned on his knees and Sarah on her back. They looked at each other for a moment and Sarah pushed herself up on her elbows.</p><p>“We should stop.” She said it, swallowing hard as Draco looked at her like she was all he wanted. “We’ve been drinking and it‘s.. this is not a good idea.” Draco let out a deep breath and she smoothed out her hair. </p><p>“Yeah. Yeah, you're right.” Draco reluctantly agreed, pushing himself off of the couch and Sarah got up quickly, in the event she changed her mind and headed towards the stairs.</p><p>“Goodnight, Draco.” She looked back at him with a smile and he nodded. </p><p>Draco watched her walk up the stairs in those leggings and he waited until he heard her bedroom door close to go to his own room. He couldn’t help but lay in bed and rub himself thinking of how close their bodies were and how he wondered what it would be like to fuck her senseless on that old, blue sofa. He could only imagine what her breasts looked like, and he’d gotten to lightly squeeze one of them before. He wanted more. He wanted to see her face as she came undone because of him. Draco was so caught up in his thoughts he didn’t even realize he moaned Sarah’s name loudly as he came on his stomach. </p><p>But Sarah heard it. And it took all her self control to not go in there and see if he was up for another round.</p>
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<a name="section0009"><h2>9. do we get what we deserve?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The day before they were due back at her Grandfather’s for a COA meeting and for Maxim's birthday celebration, the small group of deceivers met up again. Sarah and Draco went over everything that happened at the first weekends meetup, with the Ambrose’s filling in any details they forgot. Anders seemed to be glaring at Draco the entire time, and he didn’t understand why. Joe had given insight on COA’s desire to implement scourers again, and when the group explained what those were to Draco, he had a chill up his spine. He almost felt like he did a year ago. </p><p>Plans were made, dates were discussed, everyone tried to guess what Maxim Stewart’s end goal was. Redd confirmed some of the suspicions that Draco had about Gary, who was Maxim’s right hand man. All he knew was that Gary had been involved with the council from a young age and had spent a lot of time with Maxim. Their guess was the guy just didn’t know how to think for himself but no one could explain the somewhat odd stalker patterns he had around Sarah. Sarah said she remembered him from childhood, but only for a short time. They had been friends when they were very young. Draco didn’t trust the guy at all. Especially the way he looked at Sarah with a creepy longing in his eyes. Draco said this out loud and everyone agreed to be aware of Gary when he was around.

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<p>Everyone had gotten caught up in their own conversations and when Draco tried to find Sarah, he found her outside speaking with Anders. He didn’t want to interrupt, they looked like whatever they were talking about was serious but he could overhear his name being used.</p><p>“I don’t trust Draco, Sarah. You barely know him, he has a past related to this sort of stuff and you’re alone with him most of the time.”</p><p>“Anders, that’s sort of the point. I can’t trick my grandfather if all six of us roll up to the mansion together. He plays the part beautifully and it’s working.”</p><p>“Well how do you know it’s just a part? You’re in serious danger when you’re there, I just worry about you.”</p><p>“I know. You have reasons to be concerned but Draco’s not like that.” Draco was used to hearing this sort of talk about himself. It didn’t mean it didn’t hurt, but he also wasn’t stupid. He deserved to be mistrusted. What he didn’t like, though, was the way Anders inched closer to Sarah and put his hands on her waist.</p><p>“You said when school was done we could try again. It’s been a year, I’ve changed and so have you. We can focus on us, just us.”Anders was closing the gap between them and Draco’s blood was practically boiling. Draco was about to stomp right over to them but Sarah pushed Anders’ hands off of her waist.</p><p>“I don’t think this will work, Anders. My head is too wrapped up in all of this to think clearly at all. We’re not kids anymore.”</p><p>“You’re lying to me, Sarah. I’ve always known when you’re lying.” Anders gave a small laugh, shaking his head. “You’ve got feelings for him. Real feelings for him, don’t you? It’s going to get you killed. You know that, right? If it’s his ass on the line, tell me you’d save yourself before saving him.” Sarah remained silent and Anders just let out a mocking laugh. “I can’t believe this, I really can’t.”</p><p>“Anders I can’t do this right now. You don’t know what you’re talking about. I feel safer with Draco than I ever have in my life.” The words hit Draco like a ton of bricks. To know that she trusted him meant the world. It meant he was doing something right. </p><p>“<i>Really?</i> Who looked after you when your dad died? Hm?” Anders looked mad, like he was about to erupt. Draco knew what he was feeling, he used to get like that when something didn’t go his way. “And you never felt safe with me?”</p><p>“Anders, I’m grateful for what you <i>and</i> your family did for me. But I’m not twelve anymore. You have to let me go, okay? Who knows if I even make it out of this alive.” A sinking feeling came over Draco, he couldn’t even imagine that happening. The fact that those words came out of Sarah’s mouth had his mind racing.</p><p>Anders looked like he was about to yell at Sarah when Draco let the screen door slam and it caught both of their attention. “Sorry, am I interrupting? I’ll go back inside…” Draco turned to go back in the house but Sarah called out to him.</p><p>“No, it’s okay.” She said it hesitantly and Draco took that as a signal from her to stay. </p><p>“Yeah, it’s perfectly okay.” Anders glared at Draco and stomped off towards his truck, the driver’s side door slamming and he left the driveway so fast his tires screeched. Sarah ran her hands over her face a few times and pulled her sweater close to her, walking back towards the house.</p><p>	As she went to move past him, Draco lightly grabbed her arm to stop her. “I heard what he said,” he confessed and Sarah looked at him like she wanted to cry. “He shouldn’t hold that against you. Sarah, you don’t owe him anything.” He didn’t know why, but he had this overwhelming urge to pull her to him. So he did. Sarah laid her head on his chest, her hands covering her face while she softly cried. Draco just kept his arms around her as they stood in the winter cold. As he watched the steam exhale from his breathing all he could think was how he would stand in the freezing cold with her for however long she needed.</p>
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<a name="section0010"><h2>10. when you move, i'm moved</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>* 18+ Mature content in this chapter *</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <i>"Your hands are scarred from murder, and yet, I trust them completely."</i>
</p><p>The week of celebrations for Maxim’s birthday was going well. Multiple families had come from across the country to pay their respects to the council’s leader and grant him well wishes. Maxim spent the first half of his “official” birthday party strutting Sarah and Draco around, introducing them both to people Sarah had never even heard of.</p><p>As his “status” in the council was gaining traction, so did Draco and Sarah’s relationship. Sarah was now the shining star of the Stewart family and Draco her charismatic, pure blood boyfriend. Draco could see the men around them checking her out and Sarah was well aware of the giggles and red cheeks Draco’s presence had on the young women. It made them both possessive of the other, and it didn’t really need to be spoken about. </p><p>Sarah knew that with a celebration of this proportion she couldn’t just saunter away and hide in a library like their first dinner. She would need to be constantly engaging and charming. Sarah had no trouble showing Draco off. They unintentionally dressed themselves well together, she was in a champagne colored chiffon dress and his black on black suit gave perfect contrast to his light features and her dress. Her hair was down, which it was normally half up or in a braid. Draco took that as the perfect opportunity to push her curls out of her face when he knew they were being watched. Despite the “charade”, everyone believed the two were madly in love.</p><p>And Sarah did have to ask herself often if it was just a trick. Sometimes when Draco’s hand was reaching for hers and their fingers intertwined she had to tell herself to breathe. His touch made her stomach tie into knots and when he leaned in to whisper something to her, the goosebumps along her arms were so obvious she blushed out of embarrassment. How could he not know it wasn’t hard for her to act?</p><p>When a song came on and some of the other couples in the room began to dance, he instinctively reached for Sarah, who was chatting with a bunch of women around her age.</p><p>“Excuse me ladies, but I’m going to steal Sarah for a dance.” The women watched, longingly as he led her to the middle of the room.</p><p>“Draco,” Sarah whispered, her body getting tense when she felt him pull her close to him. “I can’t dance for the life of me.”</p><p>Draco leaned into her, his lips so close to her ear. “Just follow me, it’s not hard. All you need to do is move your feet and keep your hands on me.” He was sure he couldn’t pull her body any closer to his, but he still tried. She fit effortlessly into him, an arm around his neck and he grabbed her other hand. “I promise I won’t let you look silly.” He grinned at her and Sarah gave him a half hearted smile back. “To me you’re the only woman in this room.” </p><p>Sarah felt clumsy at first but she fell into the rhythm of the music. Draco kept her pressed against his body as he watched her. She took his breath away, the way she wound up genuinely smiling as they moved. When the music finally stopped, Draco didn’t want to let her go. Sarah leaned up to kiss his cheek and let go first. “Excuse me for a second.” </p><p>She found her way to the bathroom, her hands on the sink as she tried to breathe. Draco had this power over her and she needed to stop it. She couldn’t let him affect her this much. Especially not when her whole mission depended on it.</p><p>“She looked like a princess, did you see her dress? Draco looks at her like she’s a queen. I’d give anything to have a man love me that much.” Sarah could hear women talking outside the door and she held her breath again. Did he really look at her like that?</p><p>“Oh, whatever. She’s way too vanilla for him. She barely shows him any sort of affection. He needs a woman to keep him interested, he’ll get bored of Sarah soon enough and his eyes will wander. It’s why I keep wearing these low cut gowns to the parties.” A few women laughed and Sarah ran her hands through her hair. </p><p>So Draco was convincing but she wasn’t. She had been the one to be so quick on her feet at first and now she was faltering. She could be convincing. She could make everyone believe that she deserved Draco Malfoy.</p><p>Sarah found Draco in the sitting room, chatting with a few other men. Their girlfriends were being affectionate, hands being held and bodies close to each other. Some of them even had hands on their thighs. Sarah took the initiative and walked up to Draco, a smile spreading on his face when he saw her. She pressed her lips together and sat right on his lap like it was casual and normal. Draco only shifted slightly at her action, clearly a bit tense at their interaction but allowed her to lean into him. What he didn’t expect was for her to lean forward and kiss him suddenly on the mouth. He lingered there for a second until he whispered in her ear, “fuck, Sarah…” she just giggled and kissed him again, this time leaning into his ear.</p><p>“Apparently I’m too boring for you. So I figured everyone should know why you keep interest in me.” Draco just let out a sharp breath and looked in her eyes. “I’m sorry I didn’t warn you.” Draco just shook his head and pressed his lips to hers one more time. </p><p>“I would never lose interest in you.” He said it as he looked straight into her eyes and Sarah put an arm around his neck. His hand went to her thigh and they shared a glass of wine socializing for the rest of the night, every other couple in the room jealous of how effortlessly they were in love. Both Draco and Sarah knew that at this point there wasn’t much pretending anymore. </p><p> </p><p>Sarah went to bed and it left a small group of men chatting and drinking for another hour or so. Draco was used to the cockiness of a group like this, the questions and jabs they made at each other. He had expected the attention to turn to him and Sarah so quickly, but apparently everyone was curious about their relationship.</p><p>“Bet he hasn’t even fucked her properly yet. Aren’t you Brits too prude to do anything too kinky?” One of the men looked over to Draco and he put his best poker face on. </p><p>“Why would I boast about a perfect cunt? Then you’d want me to share.” Draco eyed the man, whose face went blank at his reply. “But let’s just say,” He swirled the glass of scotch in his hand slowly, “She likes to beg for a pureblood cock.”</p><p>The men laughed and Draco smirked. His inner thoughts betrayed him as he said these things. Sarah didn’t deserve this, not at all. He was relieved he was so good at occlumency, and that’s when it hit him. Did Sarah know? Was she aware that all of these men were able to go through her every thought. Shit. But he had to play it cool. The conversation turned to another gentleman and all the men ripped on him for a while before they started to trickle out of the room.</p><p>“Well, gentlemen. All of this talk has perhaps gotten my mind wandering to… other things.” He heard a few quiet snickers. He was just glad that no one tried to stop him as he gulped the last of his scotch and set the glass down, making his way up the stairs to the room him and Sarah were in.</p><p>She was in bed, reading over a bunch of books she had found in the library of the house. So much of her family history was here and she was just trying to absorb as much as she could. She heard the door close, it seemed like Draco did it on purpose to startle her. “Draco,” She greeted him, but his face was serious and he was walking intently to the bed. His hand went over his lips as if to signal to her to be quiet.</p><p>Draco climbed on the bed and hovered over Sarah who was frighteningly still. “Draco?” She questioned, wondering if maybe he was under some sort of charm. The last time they did this she had told him to stop. Even if she didn’t want him to stop.</p><p>“Sarah,” He whispered, almost with a need. “Do you trust me?” He asked, pushing the books she had off the bed. His purpose was to make the men downstairs hear the noise. “Occlumency.” He said it once and Sarah breathed out. It was never her strong suit. Her mind ran so fast it was hard for her to shut it out. She understood the intimate nature at which he was near her, if someone was going to get into her head, they would see her boyfriend above her ready to pounce.</p><p>Sarah relaxed herself, which came surprisingly easy around Draco for some reason, despite her heart beating out of her chest. Focus, Sarah. She kept thinking over and over again. Her eyes looked up to meet his gray ones. “Whatever you need to do,” Her entire body was shaking because she didn’t think it would come to this. But maybe she was also shaking because deep down she knew she wanted Draco. Sarah never thought this group would be so vile that she would need to be physically intimate with Draco, at least not by her own choice. He could’ve just left, gone back to England and she’d be here to fend for herself. But he didn’t.</p><p>“Listen to me,” he grabbed her chin lightly. “Fill your mind with me. Keep these thoughts up front for the time being. My love,” He brushed his thumb over her bottom lip. “I’m going to need you to show me how devoted you are to me. Just like you showed me on Yule after my father came by.” Draco wanted so much to kiss her, give those assholes downstairs a real show, but the last time had been so awkward. Even earlier in the evening, he knew Sarah’s actions were for show. Sarah didn’t deserve that sort of embarrassment right now, and he would never push her.</p><p>Sarah could hardly breathe as he touched her, she was so nervous, but when he mentioned yule, she understood. She was quick on her feet, quick to think of something. She just needed to do that now. It was a signal for her to play along. Could he peek inside her head and see it wouldn’t take much effort for her to fill her head with him? “Yes… Draco,” It was barely a whisper. He leaned down and began kissing her neck, he figured that would be less personal than going straight for her lips. Sarah gasped, every hair on her body sticking up. Her body was just reacting naturally. Draco felt her practically melt in his arms, he was glad she was reacting not just for their safety. There was no way this wasn’t real.</p><p>“I bet your cunt is soaked, thinking about what I’m about to do to you.”</p><p>Sarah breathed out, and her body instantly went rigid. Draco pulled away from her neck for a second, shaking his head signaling he wasn’t going to do that. “Yes,” She weakly replied. Why was she so bad at this, but he was so good? Had her sex life before really been that boring?</p><p>“Fuck, I love these tits.” Draco said it louder now that he figured Sarah was aware of what he was trying to do. It was no lie, though. He had thought about them constantly. Her wearing a low cut shirt should’ve been illegal. “I think about these tits all the time. How they fit perfectly in my hands.” His hand went up her body, but he didn’t actually do what he was saying although it was hard not to. He could pry into her mind enough to see that she was doing all the imagining she needed. Draco pulled away again, this time he loosened his belt buckle, sliding it out of its loops and tossed it on the floor. “That’s right, take my cock in your hands. Just like that. Fuck. Sarah…” She still just laid there, unsure of what to do but raised herself up on her elbows when her eyes caught the outline of his erection in his pants. Was it because of her? Or would this just be every man's natural response? “I was going to let your cunt have my cock tonight but I think I’ll just come all over those perfect tits instead.” Sarah got on her knees now, her torso almost up against his. Part of her wanted to feel him against her like that night they kissed on the counter.</p><p>“Come for me, Draco.” Sarah said it sternly and she could see him take a deep breath in. “I want it all over me. Please, Draco… please.” Draco put his head back into her neck and let out a series of hard breaths. Fuck, if she kept going Draco wasn’t sure he’d be able to control himself. It was instinctive for her to reach up and run her hands through his hair. After a low grunt, he reached his own arm around Sarah’s waist and gave it a soft squeeze. “Thank you,” She sighed into him as she idly played with a strand of his hair.</p><p>“Whatever you need, Sarah.” He said, pulling away from her and nodding. Draco got off the bed and went into the bathroom, minutes later Sarah could hear the shower water running. She thought about joining him, but if he had wanted her wouldn’t he have just acted on all of those things he just said?</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. have you no idea that you're in deep?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>*18+ mature content ahead*</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <i>"I loved you so hard that I softened."</i>
</p><p>Draco woke up the next morning drenched in his own fluid. Even after the cold shower he took the night before. It happened the next few mornings, and he wasn’t sure how to stop it. His biggest concern was that Sarah would notice. Every night it seemed they got closer and closer to each other as they slept. He didn’t have time to relieve himself when he was alone, and he always had Sarah with him. He didn’t think it was particularly professional to ask if he could scamper off to get rid of some sexual frustration.</p><p>However their little act had worked. The men gave Draco prideful nods when he walked past them. The women blushed more than normal. And Gary? Well, he looked like he wanted to strangle Draco more than he usually did. He just hoped that Sarah wasn’t receiving any sort of backlash. She had always been insistent that she could handle anything. This was personal, though. </p><p>The week was over and they returned to her cottage until the next event was to come up. Draco was directed to ask her grandfather for her hand in marriage. They needed that solid connection in order for Draco to get the council to start spilling secrets. They needed the council to trust him 100%. </p><p>They spent the day away from each other, as he could sense the other night still had made her nervous. Sarah had been unusually quiet, but he could understand why. She had reacted funny after the kiss in the bar, this past week at the mansion had gone a whole lot further than that.</p><p>They ate dinner in mostly silence and afterwards went to their own rooms. He hated that he got into the bed and missed her presence on the other side. It had been so long since he had someone, just the physical closeness had eased him. He tossed and turned before he heard his bedroom door creak open. “Sarah?” He sat up, “Are you alright?” He could faintly make her out in the dark.</p><p>“Yeah, I’m… no. No, I’m actually not. Can I sleep in your bed? I don’t want to be alone.” Draco just swallowed and gave a quiet “yes”, moving his body as close to the edge on his side as he could as he watched Sarah get in on the other side in her oversized tee shirt and knickers. He was down to his boxers. They had been fully clothed when sleeping at the meeting house, so he wasn’t sure if he should get up and put pants on. </p><p>Sarah climbed in under the covers and laid on her side to look at him. “I’m okay about the other night. I wanted to clear that up. You handled it amazingly. It was me who was caught like a deer in headlights.”</p><p>“It wasn’t exactly an ideal situation but the men had been bragging about their occlumency skills earlier and then were trying to get information out of me about.. our intimate life.” Draco offered. “At least you have something to put there if they try again. You really need to work on your occlumency, Sarah.”</p><p>She sighed. “I know, it’s just hard to focus on that when stupid men are wanting to know about what our sex life is like! Is that all men want? Don’t you guys talk about other things like quidditch!?”</p><p>Draco let out a small laugh, finally allowing his body to relax and he slid down the headboard to rest his head on the pillow under him. “Yeah, we do. But in a group like this, it’s different. It’s a competition. Who has the strongest bloodline, who can have the most pureblood sons.. and you’re half muggle. Makes you more likely to rebel and try to rub your awful, misguided views on me. I wouldn’t be surprised if they tested us a lot. They want to make sure I can keep you under control.”</p><p>This made Sarah laugh, but it also made her sad this was the line of witches and wizards she came from. “As if you could ever control me.” It was dark but Draco could see her give a small eye roll.</p><p>“I don’t know, Stewart, you seemed pretty open to submission the other night,” Draco smirked, his snarky comments always stirring up somehow. “Maybe I should show you how to serve your pureblood husband.” </p><p>Sarah blushed, but she was enjoying this flirty banter and pushed herself up and closer to Draco. “Well, we’re not married yet so I guess I could show you how to treat your half muggle wife, instead.” Their bodies were closer now and every cell in Draco’s body was alert to it.</p><p>“Then show me,” He challenged. His body’s natural response was rising between his legs. This was such a bad idea but fuck, Sarah was so close to him and so fucking snarky. In one motion (against his better judgment), he grabbed Sarah’s hips and pulled her into his lap. “Or you could just remember your place.” Draco gave her a playful smile when she yelped at his actions.</p><p>Sarah put all her weight on her legs, trying her hardest not to lean into Draco. But she could also feel what was under her and she was trying her best to ignore it. “You smug son of a bitch,” She whispered, as every tingle inside of her grew stronger. “You’re going to pay for that!” Sarah insisted as she leaned down, her face getting closer to Draco’s. She didn’t even realize she was doing it.</p><p>“I sure bloody hope I do,” he said it in a low growl-like voice and Sarah’s insides turned and she met his lips with hers. Draco’s hands instantly started roaming her body. He had wanted to do this so many times in the weeks they had spent together. He had chalked it up to not being physical with someone for so long, but he knew it was because he wanted her. “Sarah,” Draco mumbled it against her lips. Sarah loved the way he said her name, her hips instantly started grinding on his, which made him moan into her mouth. </p><p>“I haven’t stopped thinking about this since the other night... actually since that night at the bar,” she confessed, as Draco’s lips formed a trail from her jaw to her neck. “I want you, Draco. No acting. No lies.” His hands were roaming her body freely now, he wasn’t nervous about touching where he wanted to. It was like every fiber of pent up sexual frustration was allowed to come out. Draco easily pulled her shirt off of her and admired the view, regardless of how dark it was. Her body was perfect, he kissed every freckle on her neck to her shoulder. </p><p>“I don’t deserve you, Sarah.” Draco admitted in a half breath, his hands still saying otherwise as he ran over the fabric of her knickers to find her clit, gently circling it as Sarah moaned and threw her head back. “You should run as far away from here… from me, as possible.” He looked up at her with her head thrown back in pleasure and his heart ached. </p><p>His hardness under her was throbbing, and while he worked on her clit she used her free hand to free it from the strained cloth of his boxers. Then she got testy, pushing him down on the bed and the look of shock in his eyes and also lust could’ve made her come right there. “I thought I told you,” Sarah breathed, pushing the fabric of her knickers aside and lined him up with her entrance. She breathed out in a moan as she let her body take him in, “We shouldn’t be punished for what our father’s did.” He bottomed out and Draco groaned loudly, giving her arse a squeeze. Sarah moved her body to get comfortable and so he could have a better angle as she started moving up and down on his cock.</p><p>“Fuck, Sarah. Fuck, you are so perfect.” He had free range of her breasts and he licked, nibbled, and sucked as much as he could while she slowly rode him. Draco had thought so much about this moment and it was even better than he imagined. Sarah’s hands tangled in his platinum hair as she moved, small breaths her only sign of her pleasure minus her movement picking up gradually. “I don’t know how long I’ll last,” he confessed finally, his lips moving up to her mouth. Draco couldn’t remember the last time he had been with a woman where he wasn’t doing it just for physical release. This was different, he was invested. Despite his best efforts to keep that wall up, she had a way of getting past it. Draco wanted her for the person she was as well as the physicality of it. “Fuck. <i>Fuck</i>.” The words were coming out of his mouth before he could think. “I’ve got it so bad for you, Sarah.”</p><p>Sarah moaned and pressed herself against him as she rode him, wrapping her arms around his neck. She hadn’t thought about any sort of actual relationship with him until that first night at dinner. At one point the looks she had given him throughout the evening didn’t require much effort. </p><p>Dracos finger twirled her nipple and he continued to suck on her neck. “Yes, oh my god. Yes,” Sarah’s moans got louder as he pinched her harder, “like that, Draco. I want you. I want all of you. God, yes. I’m gonna come. <i>Harder</i>.” She panted as she slid up and down on his cock. Within seconds her whole body shuddered and she let out cry, Draco’s hands moving from her breasts to her hips to keep her moving. </p><p>The spasm of her on his cock was too much, and he grabbed her hips harder, pulling her down on him as he emptied inside of her. “Sarah,” he moaned it as she slowed to stillness now that he had finished. Arms wrapped around each other, the only sound was them trying to catch their breath. </p><p>“Draco,” Sarah said it softly, her forehead against his chest as she breathed. She could feel him kiss her hair as he moved strands that had fallen out of her braid away from her face. “That was ten times better than Wednesday night,” lifting her head she smirked at him, her heart leaping at the sight of his post-sex gaze at her. </p><p>He didn’t say anything, just leaned forward to kiss her softly, a hand cupping her cheek. “Next time I might not be so nice.” Draco quipped, and she laughed as they stayed there, him softening inside of her but she didn’t move. </p><p>“I don’t want to go back to my room.”</p><p>“Don’t.”</p><p>“What are we doing?”</p><p>“You’re sleeping in my bed because you’re going to be my wife.” Draco kissed her neck gently. “If any man tries to look in your mind, all they will see is you coming on my cock. Because I’m going to make you do it over and over again.”</p><p>Sarah let out a sharp breath. It had only been minutes but she felt that familiar warm feeling between her legs. “Only yours.” Agreeing, she ran her hand on his cheek now and looked into his gray eyes. “Yours, Draco. Only yours.”</p><p>Draco had never had this feeling before, like he couldn’t get enough of her. They laid next to each other, fighting sleep just looking at each other and talking. “How did you learn occlumency?” Sarah finally got the courage to ask. Draco averted her eyes for a minute, giving a deep breath. He didn’t want to hide anything from her.</p><p>“My father failed to complete a task for Voldemort and went to Azkaban. Because of his immense failure Voldemort chose me to complete the hardest task of them all my sixth year...” Draco looked at Sarah and reached out to brush some of her hair from her face. He had never spoken these words aloud other than to other death eaters or the interrogators in the Ministry. “I had to kill Albus Dumbledore.”</p><p>Sarah’s face changed to sadness, moving her body towards him. “You were only a kid,” She whispered it, but Draco continued.</p><p>“I was ready to just decline and let him kill me and be done with it. But he would’ve killed my mother next. He put me in charge of killing the only wizard who could possibly defeat him. <i>Me</i>.” Draco gave a small laugh and shake of his head. “Well, given Dumbledore's skills, I had to be able to shield my mind from him. My insane Aunt Bellatrix taught me in a matter of days.” Sarah could see Draco’s thoughts go to a different place, and she leaned forward to kiss him softly.</p><p>“I’m sorry you went through that.” Draco just watched her as she said it. He didn’t think anyone had spoken those words to him. They just asked him why he didn’t turn on Voldemort. It wasn’t that easy.</p><p>“It’s why I need to teach you, Sarah. I can’t even think about someone hurting you. I won’t allow it.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. how many secrets can you keep?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <i>"If I told you about the darkness inside of me, would you still look at me like I'm the sun?"</i>
</p><p>When they woke up in Draco’s bed, they didn’t say much other than a good morning greeting. Sarah went to her room to shower and get dressed and she met Draco in the kitchen where he was making tea and eggs. He pushed a mug across the counter towards her and she picked it up. “Last night?”</p><p>“Last night?” He copied her tone, an eyebrow raised.</p><p>“Are we really going to do this?” For the first time since he met her, Draco could hear fear in her voice. An uncertainty that made his heart hurt at the thought of someone hurting her, especially him.</p><p>Draco thought about it for a minute and looked at her. “We were already doing it. The only difference now is that we don’t have to pretend.”</p><p>Sarah’s heart was racing, “What if, something happens? What if they find out or they use you as leverage against me…” </p><p>Draco rounded the counter and grabbed Sarah’s hands, holding them tight. “We can play the what if game all day, you can’t let your mind do that. We have to be strong up here, remember? You can’t be around them alone. Whatever we think now, what’s done is done. We are on this path together and we’re going to find out who killed your mum. I promise you that.” Draco knew that he was getting closer to getting secrets. “Your grandfather trusts me. Trust me, Sarah. Please.”</p><p>She looked at him, a girl who lost everything too young and was too broken to let people in. Draco had done nothing to prove to her otherwise, and she was the one that stuck herself out for him in the beginning. “I trust you. I do. I don’t trust myself.” She whispered the last part, her head hanging down. </p><p>He didn’t say anything, because he didn’t know what to say. He just pulled her into him and kissed her hair. “Let’s eat and then we’re going to practice occlumency. Once we’ve got that, we will be unstoppable, yeah?” Draco gave her a small smile and couldn’t believe that he was being the one to be optimistic. He knew how she felt right now, though. </p><p>That there was no end in sight and she would be under her grandfather’s hand for an extended time.</p><p> </p><p>Sarah didn’t say much during breakfast, Draco was not the type of person to bring emotional elements into any situation and if they were going to be practicing occlumency the last thing they needed were emotions. Posed in her living room with wands pointed at each other Draco asked if she was ready. Sarah took a deep breath and loosened her muscles. Her mind needed to be blank. Be blank. She thought over and over again when she heard Draco’s voice “Legilimens!”</p><p>Pain. Sarah was a girl and her father was sobbing on the ground. “Dad? What is it? What’s wrong? Do you need some chocolate milk?” The girl's mood was happy, regardless of the concern for her father’s cries. “Dad? Come on, Dad.” But the man just continued to sit there with his head in his hands.</p><p>Anger. She watches her sisters throw floo powder into the fireplace and step into it. “I can’t believe you’re just going to walk away from this. After everything he has done to us!” One of the women turned around and looked at Sarah before leaving. “No, Sarah. You’re letting him do this to you when you could just walk away too.” She was so angry after that, she took every photo of her grandfather outside and smashed them in her concrete driveway. She didn’t even use magic to clean it up.</p><p>Look at him, she thinks as she is staring at the man with platinum hair. Draco had seemed every bit scorned when she met him; drained and empty. Now he is standing next to her at her grandfather’s house and she is in his favor again. Because of him. She hated that his arrogance was charming, that the way he put his hand on her lower back and gripped it to show everyone that she was his sent a charge through her entire body. Sarah could easily pretend to love him, what was there not to love? But then she looked around, at the men and women occupying the room and remembered why she was here. He would pay, she thought as she smiled at her grandfather. Everyone in this fucking room would pay.</p><p>Sarah screamed and fell back to the wall as Draco finally stopped. “Sarah! You have to block it out!!!” He yelled at her, getting frustrated. Did she not understand what was at stake if any skilled legilimens entered her mind? “Bloody hell, you’re going to get yourself killed!” </p><p>“For god fucking sake, I’m trying, Draco.” She scoffed, rubbing her temples and trying to not let the tears that were welling in her eyes to fall. “You didn’t have to dig so hard into my brain like that, you know.”</p><p>“Do you think this is a game, Sarah? Do you think that Gary would just stop peering into you because it’s painful for you? The way he looks at you, he’s practically drooling at that chance. What about an imperius curse? Cruciatus curse? Unbearable pain, someone else controlling your entire body? They need a tremendous amount of magic behind it but I bet with Gary’s sinister looks and wandering eyes it’d be easy for him to use on you. Stop being weak, Sarah, you’re not weak!”</p><p>“Don’t you think I know that!? Fuck you, Draco! I didn’t have an insane aunt to teach me how to block out other people, or a wealthy family to hand me everything and teach me to duel. I had NO ONE! Nobody! He left me alone!” Sarah was crying now and Draco stopped, his shoulders slouching in defeat. Since he knew her, Sarah had never backed down from a challenge but maybe he had taken it too far. Draco stepped towards her and she flinched away from him.</p><p>“Fuck,” He said it, tossing his wand on the couch next to him. “I went too far. I’m sorry, Sarah. I just don’t want you hurt.” Draco reached his hand out to her and she looked at him, crying still. “I understand more than you think, come here. Let me show you.” Sarah slowly moved to take his hand and he moved to wrap an arm around her waist. The other moved to her wand hand and guided it so her wand was against his temple. “Say it,” He whispered.</p><p>Sarah swallowed hard before she barely got out, “Legilimens!”</p><p>Draco’s father was being dragged out of the manor by multiple wizards and all he could do was stand back against the wall and watch. Narcissa looked worried but he’d never seen his mother panic. Could they really have believed that Harry Potter was going to lose against the Dark Lord? He had lost once before, what were the chances he’d win this time? </p><p>“Do not even think like that!” His mother spat at him, and he stood up straighter. His mother, a disciplined and experienced Legilimens didn’t think Draco would need this training yet but his doubt was seeping out of him like sap. “Aunt Bella is going to teach you occlumency starting tomorrow. We can’t have any of that doubt then or she will dangle you from the upper most balcony like a rag doll, do you understand?” Draco gave a feeble yes and went to his room. He knew had to turn off all of his emotions if he wanted to survive this.</p><p>Insufferable torture and a high pitched laugh. “Oy, little nephew I thought maybe you had inherited some of the Black talent, but how unfortunate for you looks like you’re all just a big Malfoy marshmallow.” Draco’s body was writhing on the floor, she was bending his bones as far back as she could without breaking them and he was in so much pain he couldn’t even scream. “I’m not letting up until you shut me out, Draco….” She sang, “Break my curse and then I’ll know you’re strong enough to resist that old fool Dumbledore!” He spent 3 hours in that position before he finally thought of going back to Hogwarts and being free of this hell for a few months. The curse broke. Draco laid there for another hour wishing he could’ve just stayed like that until this was all over.</p><p>The man in front of him was the most vile thing he had ever laid eyes on. A monster. Evil incarnate. The grin on his face was even worse because it was directed at Draco. “Since his father has failed to complete the task assigned to him, it is with much prestige and honor that I pass it on to his heir.” Voldemort was a foot in front of him now and his entire demeanor had changed. “I am certain that Draco will surpass his father in both loyalty and determination.” Without notice, the Dark Lord grabbed Draco’s left arm and marked him. Draco screamed at the pain and fell forward onto the ground.</p><p>Draco literally fell onto the ground in Sarah’s living room as she stumbled back towards the wall again because she couldn’t take anymore. Draco was on all fours and breathing heavy, his forehead lined with sweat and he looked up to meet Sarah’s eyes. “I told you, Sarah. You deserve better than me. I’m empty.”</p><p>“Stop,” She said it softly and kneeled on the floor as Draco sat up. “Look what you’ve done for me,” If he couldn’t see how everything he was doing was selfless, what else could she do? “Look how strong you are, what you’ve survived…” This time she pulled Draco to her and he let her. Sarah stroked his hair and kissed his temple. “We are both broken, Draco. All we need to do is figure out how to fix it.”</p><p>They spent all night staying up practicing occlumency. Seeing all that Draco went through only made her more determined to stop her grandfather. All of the pure blood nonsense was toxic and all Sarah could wonder were how many future Draco’s there were surrounding her grandfather. Her own children would be expected to follow the same rules and morals. It was hard for Sarah to let her mind go blank, to picture the darkness. “How do you do it?” She finally begged Draco to tell her. She was never able to be in control of her emotions. She wasn’t sure at this point she ever would be. Between the hatred of her family, the feelings she had developed for Draco, and the desire for this all to be in her past — she was lost.</p><p>He approached her from behind and put his hands on her shoulders. “First you need to take a deep breath. Second, you need to stop being so bloody stubborn and controlling.” That earned him a playful elbow in the stomach as he laughed. “And you’re already doing the third. Fill your mind with happiness. When someone scans your thoughts let them see the reason why you fight. Your sisters and your friends. Watching a sunset over the ocean. Find your peace and tuck the pain away and close the door.” </p><p>They stood like that for a minute and Sarah practiced her breathing. “What do you think of?” She asked him and there was silence.</p><p>“I didn’t have anything,” He admitted, “I was just black, blank space. Numb. Seems to be the most effective.” </p><p>Sarah turned around and looked at him with sadness in her eyes. She didn’t mean to pity him, he knew that. “Do it,” She said, meeting his eyes and nodding. Draco picked up his wand and pointed.<br/>
“Legilimens!”</p><p>He sees her watching as he enters the room in her grandfather’s house. He’s on top of her and whispering in her ear “do you trust me?” Every cell in her body is awake and she’s on fire. She’s scared, yes, but not of him. She’s scared of the way her body reacts. Every time Draco’s lips touch her neck she thinks ‘more’. He doesn’t even know that he’s already got her. </p><p>They are both coming down from the high of their orgasms and still in his bed. Her heart is beating faster than it ever has before and she is completely lost in Draco Malfoy. Laying there after, looking at him and smiling she hasn’t felt this happy in a long time. He fell asleep soon after but she stayed there, watching him, thinking I could love him.</p><p>
  <i>I could love him.</i><br/>
I could love him.<br/>
I could.
</p><p> </p><p>Sarah gasped as he lowered his wand and before she could even catch her breath, Draco’s hands grabbed her face and crashed his lips to her. They kissed for a long time, fingers entangled in each other’s hair and clothes. “I’m yours, Sarah.” He breathed, trailing his lips down her neck. Sarah just moaned in agreement and roamed his body with her hands.</p>
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<a name="section0013"><h2>13. it drowns the love I thought I knew</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Gary had it out for Draco the minute he had been introduced as Sarah’s boyfriend. He was always following him around the mansion, lurking in a shadow, trying to look busy and his eyes were constantly on Sarah. Draco knew the looks he gave her, because he had the same thoughts. Only Draco was respectful enough to never do it in public. Or, well, do it very rarely and discreetly in public. Today was no different as Draco entered the colonial home and Gary was right on his heel. “Can I help you with something, Mr. Malfoy?”</p><p>“No, but thank you Gary. I’m here to see Master Stewart.”</p><p>“I apologize for you coming all this way, but you need to make an appoint-“</p><p>“I did, I telephoned him this morning and told him I needed to speak with him. It’s somewhat urgent and a bit of a delicate matter, so if you don’t mind?” Reaching the door to the man’s office, Gary looked like he was about to explode. Draco recognized that look, it was his exact temperament a few years ago. It was nothing short of a miracle he had gained his composure after that and learned how to keep it together despite his emotions. </p><p>Draco entered the darkened office and Sarah’s grandfather was seated behind the desk. “Ah, Draco. I have to say it’s a pleasure seeing you this early in the morning, though I can’t help but be worried since you asked to meet so quickly. I take it both you and Sarah are well?”</p><p>“Sir,” Draco bowed his head to the elder man, before he nodded briefly. “Both of us are well, and in good health. I’m afraid this is more a matter pertaining to myself than Sarah.” Maxim gestured for Draco to take a seat and he did. The leather was cold and noisy underneath him. “Sir, I’ve heard word from England that my parents are giving serious consideration to an arranged marriage between myself and the Parkinson family. They’re one of the sacred twenty-eight in the UK.” This got the old man’s attention and he put his pen down to look at Draco.</p><p>“Your parents take bloodlines seriously?”</p><p>“Absolutely. There’s always been four serious marriage candidates for myself since I was five. Two of them are already married off and the pick of the lot is getting slim, so you can see why my parents are somewhat pressured to come to a decision.” Draco didn’t want to meet Maxim’s eyes. They reminded him of Voldemort’s, though at least he never hid the monster he was. Maxim could mask his evil with a soft smile and laugh. </p><p>“Draco, as someone who firmly believes that blood purity is the only way to restore honor and prestige to the Wizarding world I would highly recommend you return to England and accept that proposal.” Draco pursed his lips together before finally looking up at the man. </p><p>“With all due respect, sir; I know that blood purity is of the highest value. I know Sarah is half muggle and that puts her at a disadvantage compared to Pansy Parkinson. However, after spending the last few months with her I can’t imagine not being with her. Despite her being what she is, she is a strong and capable witch and is dedicated to our cause. The future of pure bloodlines is not in the UK, sir. Voldemort’s fall is too recent and the community isn’t going to allow anything like that happen again for a long time. Pansy and I would be sitting ducks, if she could even carry children given her mother’s difficulty in conceiving.” Draco took a huge breath. “I love your granddaughter, sir. I didn’t think after everything that happened home I would be able to find someone to make me happy, and to find out we share the same ideals… I don’t ask for a lot. I am a humble man who knows when to respect someone’s opinion and decision. However, because of the way I feel for Sarah, I sincerely ask that you allow me her hand in marriage. And sooner, rather than later.” This time Draco couldn’t look the man in the eyes. Men like him didn’t like to be challenged, or second guessed. Draco hung his head again, knowing that any other words might anger him. </p><p>The man eyed him and Draco could see it out of the corner of his eye. He was still firmly maintaining that no eye contact would be the best course. Stewart paced behind his large desk, tapping his finger on the wood beneath his hand. “I am impressed you felt compelled to ask me that, Mr. Malfoy.” Draco now slowly looked up at the old man. “You have never made me doubt that you love Sarah, for the record. I had tossed this up to just a phase for you before claiming your family’s line in the UK but it pleases me that you believe the future is here.” Maxim stopped in the middle of the desk and reached his hand out across it for Draco to take. “I accept your proposal to marry Sarah. And I understand your concern for timeliness and I will have the staff start arrangements right away. I’m afraid if you are called away to England unexpectedly, Sarah will never forgive me and we can’t have that, can we?” Draco shook the man's hand firmly and thanked him multiple times.</p><p>The two of them were in discussion about other families in the UK when the door to the office burst open and Gary came barging in. “You snarky, spoiled, English <i>son of a bitch!!</i>” His wand was armed and ready and Draco quickly reached into his jacket to retrieve his own. “She is supposed to be <i>MINE!</i>” He was only a few steps away from Draco, who didn’t let him see any hint of fear or hesitance in his face.</p><p>“You don’t want to do this, mate.” Draco warned, standing up a little taller. “I’ve killed people worth a lot more than you for a lot less.” Maxim didn’t say anything, but stood to the side watching the confrontation. Gary was too infuriated to think at all and he cast silently, which Draco easily rebounded. He continued, Draco deflecting each one. Why did this man think he had any sort of claim to Sarah? What was his obsession with her? “Gary, this is your final warning… take it.” </p><p>“Fuck you!” </p><p>Gary yelled it and this time Draco acted first. The best thing to come out of his time as a Death Eater was his conviction. If he was going to duel, he was going to fight for something that was worth it. Sarah was worth it. “Expelliarmus!” </p><p>Gary didn’t have any time to think before his wand flew across the room. “Are we done?” Draco looked bored and this made Gary even more mad. Draco moved towards him, his wand raised until he was in the man’s face. “You want Sarah but you fight like a child.” Draco put his wand flush up against his Adam’s apple. He could smell the disgusting smell of cigarettes and black coffee coming from his heavy breathing. “You couldn’t even protect her in your best moment.” He dug it in a little deeper, the man seething with rage. </p><p>Draco stared into his eyes for another minute before he lowered the wand and turned around. He shouldn’t have let his guard down, because Gary had his wand in an instant and cast a stupefy on Draco who could only deflect until he got his bearings straight.</p><p>Gary was willing to take this further and now Draco was the one getting angry, it took him a minute to shake off the effects from the stupefy, but as he moved forward towards Gary he thought of the ways he looked at Sarah. The way he got too close around her and seemed to always be within an arm's distance of her at meetings. The fact that he thought he had some sort of claim on her and he pointed his wand directly at Josh with all the focus he had and uttered the word, “Crucio!”</p><p>Gary was suspended in mid air and Draco approached him. He had completely forgotten that Maxim was still in the room, he was consumed with emotion and jealousy. “Does that hurt?” He moved to Gary’s ear. “I am willing to risk Azkaban for Sarah. I am willing to kill for Sarah. Could you say the same?” The man couldn’t speak, he just made a slur of gurgling noises. “If I see you within five feet of her I swear to Godric that I will give you a fate five-hundred times worse than death. Do you understand me?” </p><p>More half silent gurgles. Draco reached over and grabbed his face hard. “I said, <i>do you understand!?</i>” A half broken yes managed its way out of Gary’s mouth and Draco let him go, his body falling to the floor with a large thud. He watched Gary lay there for a second, making sure he didn’t attempt anything else. </p><p>Clapping came from the other side of the room and Draco lifted his head. He had totally forgotten that Maxim was there, his thoughts consumed with rage at the idea of Sarah being with Gary. “I’m impressed, Draco. Truly. One of the unforgivable curses. And you knew you couldn’t be traced.”</p><p>Draco sniffed, wiping his cheek and lip with the back of his jacket sleeve. Blood. Not a surprise, but he had been hurt worse. The ringing in his ears would definitely be a problem for a few days, though. “You have the office charmed enough, it would probably be easier to break into Gringotts.” Draco offered. “I just expected magical traces were undetectable.” Maxim just nodded with a pleased smile before his sight got distracted by something behind him.</p><p>“Grandfather?” Draco heard her voice before he saw her and Sarah had rushed to him with panic all over her face. “Oh my god, Draco!” Her blue eyes were wide with concern as her thumb brushed beneath his bottom lip and she ran a hand through his hair. “Are you alright? Are you hurt? What happened?” Leave it to Sarah to ask a million questions while he was bleeding right in front of her. <br/>Her eyes then caught Gary on the floor and she was even more confused. “He did this? You better deal with him, Grandfather!” The question softly came out of her mouth before she looked back at Draco’s face. “Come on, let me heal you up.” Draco let her take his hand and lead him out of the office, finding solace in a spare room on the other side of the house.</p><p>The room was lined with white shelves of books and had great natural light. It smelled like sweet pea and lilacs and fresh flowers were all over the random side tables in the room. “What happened?” Sarah asked with concern, grabbing gauze and a wet cloth from the bathroom.</p><p>“That bloody git Gary said that you belonged to him.” Draco practically spat it out, displeased and it was all evident in his scowl. “Came right at me with his wand raised!” Sarah couldn’t hide the small smirk on her face as she sat down in front of Draco, prompting him to remove his jacket.</p><p>“You sound jealous.”</p><p>“You’re joking right? The nerve of him to barge into your grandfather’s office — he was clearly eavesdropping on our conversation — and then he basically claimed you. As if you were property for him- ow! <i>Bloody hell, that hurts, woman.</i>” Sneering, he closed his eyes and tilted his head back so she could clean the cut on his cheek. “I’ve seen the way he looks at you, Sarah. He’s always near you, it’s way too convenient for him to be right there when something is - OW! - happening.”</p><p>“Stay still for fucks sake, and it won’t hurt so much.” Sarah got testy and looked at how annoyed he was. “Who cast first?” She asked, only half interested in the duel because she was going to have to stitch the cut near his eye up.</p><p>“He did. Stupid knob.” Draco laughed with a sense of pride. “It was too easy for me to disarm his wand, <i>FUCKING HELL WOMAN!</i> Couldn’t you numb me or something!?” Draco pulled away from her as he saw her wand raised to try and heal the cut.</p><p>“I was trying to get you to focus on the duel, you need stitches. The only other person with this level of healing skill is Gary. So unless you want to bleed out onto the three hundred year old hardwood floor, I suggest you grit your teeth and tell me what happened.”</p><p>“I swear, you’re going to be the death of me,” Draco breathed out, placing his hands on Sarah’s hips as she worked on him. “I got arrogant, though. Always my worst trait. He hit me with bombarda and stupefy one after the other.” He sighed, wincing from the pain of the needle even though it wasn’t that bad. “I don’t know what came over me, Sarah. He got to me. I haven’t done anything like that… since…” He stopped, going quiet.</p><p>Sarah stopped and looked at Draco, concerned. He was avoiding her eyes, so she grabbed his chin and moved his head to face her. “What did you do, Draco?” The light from the windows shone perfectly into his gray eyes, filled with remorse and regret. He knew that he wouldn’t have taken it back, though.</p><p>“I used the Cruciatus curse on him.”</p><p>Sarah backed away from him, the disappointment in her eyes said enough. “Draco. Why!? <i>Why would you do that?</i> They could take you away!”</p><p>“They won’t,” He reached forward for her hands, pulling her back towards him. “Your grandfather’s study is severely protected and magic can’t be traced in there. As for why? Because the idea of that man coming near you, thinking he could have you in any way, shape, or form…” Draco shook his head, meeting her eyes. “He’s lucky <i>that’s</i> the word that came out of my mouth.” </p><p>“You have to want to cause the person serious pain.” Sarah said it matter of factly, maybe happy that Draco was wincing and in pain now as she was a little rougher with the needle. “There.” She finished the last stitch and turned around to put the supplies on the table. Draco leaned forward and grabbed her, turning her around and pulled her on his lap.</p><p>“I would do it again. Without thinking twice, if it means that everyone knows that you are mine.” Sarah didn’t say anything, she wasn’t about to thank him for his little fit of jealous rage (though Gary did start it). She simply nodded, climbing off of him to finish her task.</p><p>“What were you talking about that got him so angry, anyway?”</p><p>Draco’s smile couldn’t be contained at the question. “Ah, about that. Well, I do believe you’ll need to get familiar with being called Mrs. Draco Malfoy, since your grandfather gave me his blessing.”</p><p>Sarah practically jumped on him, a groan coming out of him since he had just been thrown back onto the floor just a little while earlier. “Merlin! I swear, you really are trying to kill me, aren’t you?” Draco managed to get it out before she kissed him. Their plan was working, he was about to be a real member of the council and so much closer to finding out who killed Sarah’s mother. If he could do anything for Sarah, he would.</p><p>“Quite the opposite, Malfoy. I want to be your reason to live.”</p><p>Sarah already was, but didn’t even know it.</p>
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<a name="section0014"><h2>14. so wake up and stay with me</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The days were becoming longer, spring was here and new life started growing from the Earth again. Sarah’s entire disposition changed, it seemed, and she spent most of the day in her garden. Herbology had never been his favorite subject, but knowing that it was Sarah’s somehow made it more bearable as he begrudgingly helped her string herbs up all around her cottage. “Fair is fair,” she would say at night after dinner and Draco would read to her from his favorite alchemy books. They spoke about their childhoods, about the loneliness they had both experienced, the parents (of lack thereof) that pushed their views onto them. Draco had never told someone so much about himself, not even Pansy. </p><p>They couldn’t get enough of each other. Sarah never slept in her bed anymore, and when Draco asked if she wanted him to go to her room she said no, that room reminded her of being alone. Weekends were spent at her grandfather’s where Draco was getting closer and closer to finding out what exactly happened to Sarah’s mother. Her grandfather was now making comments about her on the regular, but Draco never pried. </p><p>Redd Ambrose was close to it as well, he had taken the approach of siding with Gary when it came to Sarah’s marriage. Gary had no reservations about speaking out without thinking. It seemed every time Draco got close to being able to read the group’s history, Gary was there to stop him. He suspected Draco from the moment he stepped foot in the house with Sarah on his arm. But that didn’t mean Draco wouldn’t hesitate to knock him on his ass if he tried anything. </p><p>Every once and while, Draco would roll up the sleeve on his left arm, knowing Gary was watching him and would make eye contact with him. Gary swallowed every time he saw the tattoo on his arm and usually left him alone for the rest of the day.</p><p>They often spoke about their times at school. Sarah had no idea Draco had never finished his last year of Hogwarts. He admitted the feud he had with the infamous Harry Potter. Sarah knew of him, only really because of her job at MACUSA. She couldn’t tell if Draco had been jealous of him or pitied him.</p><p>“The boy who lived…” Draco said it, his mind wandering somewhere else as he stroked Sarah’s hair, whose head was in his lap. “I spent so much time trying to make his life harder. In the end, he saved us all. Especially me.” Swallowing hard, he had never said that out loud.</p><p>Sarah gently grabbed his left arm, her index finger tracing over his dark mark. She could remember that night he let her into his head and the pain he felt. She brought his arm to her lips and kissed it softly. Looking up to him she just held his hand. “The boy who didn’t have a choice.”</p><p>Draco took a sharp breath in and out, looking at the woman in his lap. “Sarah..” His eyes wandered the room for a minute before finally going back to hers. “I love you.” </p><p>Sarah sat up, a small smile on her face and she slid into Draco’s lap. She traced his features with her hand, easily her favorite face in the world. “I love you, Draco.”</p><p>
  <i>I love you.<br/>I love you.</i>
</p>
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<a name="section0015"><h2>15. through the flood and through the fear</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <i>"Thank you for loving me when I still tasted of heartache and war."</i>
</p><p>Draco had the book in his hands when Maxim walked in. He could immediately tell that something was wrong because more members of the group followed him in. Maxim looked angry. Carefully, he put the book down and slid his hands into his pants pockets. If he could act casual, he could possibly get out of this. Something in the pit of his stomach said this wasn’t good, though. Normally his intuition was right. </p><p>“Mr. Malfoy, we need you to come to the ceremony chambers immediately. Gary, take his wand.” Draco glared at the little weasel as he came up and reached into Draco’s jacket pocket for his wand. The look of satisfaction on his face only made Draco worry more.</p><p>“Sir, may I ask what this-“</p><p>“Do not talk to me, Draco. You are not to address me directly.” Gary didn’t look at him as the group walked. This was bad. </p><p>Upon entering the chambers, Draco spotted Anders on some sort of altar table, clearly unconscious. He had an instant flashback to Professor Burbage being suspended over his dining room table. This is when he knew things were going to go from bad to worse. </p><p>“Imagine my surprise when I find out that owls have been going to and from my granddaughter’s house to this vile, disgusting, subpar excuse for a wizard?” Stewart stood behind the table with Anders and Draco was shoved forward towards it. “I was wondering, if perhaps you’d like to be the one to torture him for information… I remember how you so valiantly put Gary in his place for going near Sarah.” Draco still didn’t say anything, waiting for the old man to make a point. “I also put in a call to your parents, I had thought that introducing myself before you wed my granddaughter would be appropriate. Ah, but they don’t know you’re in the US, do they, Draco? They were shocked and appalled you hadn’t told them.” Maxim nodded to the door. “Bring her in.”</p><p>Draco looked back to see two men dragging Sarah in, who was obviously trying to get away from them. He dug his fingernails into the palms of his hands to refrain from losing his control. There still might be a way out of this. “Sarah!” Maxim’s voice boomed and echoed in the room, commanding silence from everyone, including Sarah. “I have done so much for you. And this is how you repay me? I find out that you only came back to the family to find out who murdered your mother.” Maxim stood in front of her now, reaching out to run a finger down her cheek. “You could have just asked me, darling. I would’ve proudly admitted that her death came from my own hands.”</p><p>The pain and anger that took over Sarah’s face made Draco’s gut wrench. He was ridiculously outnumbered, though. Looking around, he happened to make contact with Redd, who slowly waved Draco’s wand down by his legs and Draco looked away. Wait.</p><p>“I hate you!” Sarah spat on the floor where her grandfather stood, “I have always hated you. You’re disgusting. <i>I am ashamed to be your granddaughter.</i>”</p><p>“YOU?! Are ashamed to be my kin? You are a tainted, pathetic excuse for a witch. I am ashamed my only son chose a no-maj to be the mother of his children. It’s why I took matters into my own hands. He was supposed to remarry and provide me with worthy grandchildren. Of course he was too big of a coward and took the easy way out.”</p><p>Sarah laughed, her head hanging down as she did. It was a hearty laugh, and it clearly infuriated her grandfather. “This is so much bigger than you, and you have no idea. Plus, you think I don’t know? You think I don’t know about Gary!? Following me around like a puppy dog, always at my heels. I remember Gary. I know why he’s so angry that I came back. Gary and I played together as children. We promised we’d marry one another when we grew up. Our fathers joked about it too. A “wonderful match for the council” they said. But that could never happen, could it?” Sarah laughed again, shaking her head. “Of course not, grandfather. I couldn’t marry my own cousin! That’s disgusting! Or wait… in the old days it wasn’t, right? So i was just a piece of meat to dangle in front of Gary’s face to keep him loyal. But who is Gary’s mom? Oh! That’s right! It’s Lisa Weaver. Do you know whose name is listed as her father on her birth certificate? I think everyone should know Gary is a Stewart too!”</p><p>“SHUT YOUR MOUTH!” Maxim’s wand went to Sarah’s neck. “Don’t even think about breathing another word, I’ll have less remorse for taking your life than I did your mother’s.”</p><p>Sarah didn’t even blink, she looked into her grandfather’s eyes and pushed her neck further into his wand. “Go ahead. I’m pregnant, grandfather. Take two more lives and truly earn that Azkaban sentence.”</p><p>Draco’s stomach dropped at the words. Pregnant. Before he could even catch up with his thoughts, he heard commotion from behind him and Redd had released Anders, who was tremendously skilled at Native magic and didn’t need a wand. He had three men already on the floor. “Accio!” Draco’s tried and true flew to him and blocked and deflected as he made his way to Sarah. </p><p>Maxim had Sarah suspended in midair, and he snarled at Draco. “How far you have fallen, Malfoy. If you take one step closer I won’t hesitate.” Draco’s heart was pounding out of his chest as he kept his wand pointed at Maxim. He didn’t know anything about his skill level, he could take the chance to curse him but if he was quicker, Sarah would be dead. He thought of how he stood in a similar spot years before, aimed to kill an older man. Snape had finished the job for him, since he was too chicken shit to carry it out. No one was going to do that for him now, though. “Having a child with a half blood,” Maxim hissed, and he twisted his wand, Sarah started to writhe in pain. “I’d be doing it a favor, not letting it breathe in this world.”</p><p>“If you harm her at all, I promise on that child, that you will suffer.” Draco stepped forward as he could see Maxim slipping with all his anger. “Put her down, I swear Maxim… I will have you bleeding out of pin sized holes all over your body before you can even blink if you don’t.” </p><p>Stewart laughed again as commotion filled the room. Members from MACUSA had shown up, but he wasn’t relenting. Draco was running out of options and was about to act when he saw the red spark hit Stewart in the back, knocking him forward. Sarah fell to the ground and Draco darted for her. </p><p>Gary had sent the spell that knocked Stewart over and now had him on the floor. “<i>You are my grandfather?</i>” He was practically sobbing. “You let me think I could have her! <i>You let me live with that!!!</i>”</p><p>Draco grabbed Sarah as fast as he could, running for the door of the ceremony room. Sarah stopped, though, and shook her head. “I’m not leaving, Draco. I am going to fight.”</p><p> </p><p>“Fucking hell, Sarah. No! Let’s go!” Draco tried to pull her again but she raised her wand and he yelled finally letting go of her as they both made their way back into the room. </p><p>Draco had only seen Sarah use magic for good — to heal or help. But now when she raised her wand at a random council member, there was so much anger. So much hurt. Red rays left the tip of her wand as she fought, stunning people left and right as she looked for her grandfather. Draco was just trying to keep up with the excuse he needed to protect her, but it was clear she didn’t need it. She was disciplined and a trained Auror. </p><p>“MAXIM!” Sarah shouted it, seeing the older man dueling with Gary. She joined Gary’s side and sent curse after curse Maxim’s way. There was no way that he would be able to fight both Sarah and Gary. The old man was backing up and from Draco’s eye it seemed calculated. His arm reached back and he grabbed something. All of a sudden there was a puff of blue and Maxim was gone. A portkey. Of course he would have a back-up strategy. Not only was he gone, but blue flames now started to spread where he was.</p><p>Sarah stopped and looked for Draco who was already running towards her. He grabbed her again, and with a loud crack, he had apparated them out.</p><p> </p><p>Draco got them back into Sarah’s living room. He put her on the couch, checking her from head to toe. “Are you alright?”</p><p>“I’m fine!” She said it weakly with a laugh and Draco looked at her like he was going to kill her. “He didn’t hurt me too much. I promise.”</p><p>“Sarah,” Draco breathed, kneeling down in front of the couch and grabbed her hands. “Bloody hell, I’ve never been that fucking scared in my life.” He put his head down and she scooted forward, his body between her legs, she ran a hand through his hair. As he went to look up at her he realized he was eye level with her abdomen. Draco remembered what Sarah had told her grandfather before all hell broke out. “Are you really…?” He stuttered, a whisper barely coming out of his mouth at the idea.</p><p>“I am,” Sarah nodded. “I found out this morning. I was coming to tell you but Gary cornered me… I’m sorry, I didn’t want you to find out like this, if you even want to have a baby… we should’ve been more careful- what were we thinking? Well, I mean, I guess we weren’t thin-“</p><p>Draco grabbed her face and kissed her. “I love you. If you’re willing to have my baby, I could only love you more.” Sarah finally broke down and started to cry. Draco got up on the couch, wrapping his arm around her, pulling her to him.  Sarah’s sobs were hard and loud. All Draco could do was rub her back and tell her that it would all be okay. They stayed like this for a long time, until it was clear Sarah’s exhaustion was taking over.</p><p>“Hold onto me.” Draco finally whispered, before taking her away from the place that had caused her so much pain.</p>
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<a name="section0016"><h2>16. your love is a verb here in my room</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>* 18+ mature content ahead *</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <i>"Sleep," he says, "I'll fight the bad dreams off if they come to get you."</i>
</p><p>When Sarah woke up, she could smell Draco all around her. His expensive cologne, the detergent used to wash his clothes, even the faint scent of hair product on the pillow. She didn’t want to open her eyes, though. She was afraid the last six months of her life didn’t happen. It had all been a dream and she would wake up in her small New England cottage. If she just kept her eyes closed, it wouldn’t end. She could still hold on to that dream. </p><p>The noises she could hear deceived her, though. Horns, sirens, cars and buses moving. Sarah opened one eye and Draco was in bed with her. Dark blue sheets, no doubt with a high thread count. Ironic considering the small flat he had chosen to rent. Her hand ran over the fabric. He was asleep, on his stomach. Shirtless, the blanket on top of them only went to his waist. Sarah slid her body close to him, sitting up on her elbow to watch him. She didn’t know how long she had been asleep, but she had clearly felt safe enough to get decent rest. Leaning into him, she lightly kissed the freckles on his shoulders and upper back. “I love you,” she whispered it into his ear and she could see him smile.</p><p>Draco turned on his side and breathed deep as his eyes opened. Sarah was right next to him, curls splayed every which way, a happy grin on her face. He took another deep breath and moved his body on top of hers, getting comfortable between her legs and began kissing her neck. “Good morning,” His voice was low, raspy, and probably the sexiest thing she had ever heard. </p><p>“Draco,” she whined playfully, “at least let me brush my teeth…” She moved to lift his head so she could see him.</p><p>Draco grabbed her hands, pinning them over her head in the bed. “I think you’re forgetting that <i>you</i> woke <i>me</i> up.” He moved his body so his hardness was against her in just the right spot and moved his hips slowly. “Do you feel that? Do you see what you do to me?” Sarah just gasped softly, her body relaxing as he moved against her. “I’m going to let your hands go, but I want those knickers off of you by the time I’m done taking my own off.” Sarah just nodded, and as he moved away she reached down, removing any clothing from her lower half. Draco was on her in no time, his finger rubbing her clit as he kissed and lapped at her neck. Sarah grabbed his hardness, pumping it slowly in her hand as she heard his breathing get faster. “Fuck...” He breathed out, slipping a finger inside of her and pressed against her inner wall. </p><p>“Oh god…” She moaned loudly, his favorite way to hear he was pleasing her. “Harder.” Draco grinned against her breasts and moved to one of her nipples and took it in his mouth. Draco slid another finger inside of her and continued to rub her clit in circles. After so many months of them doing this frequently, he knew exactly where to touch her to get her to release. “Oh my- oh god! Oh yes! <i>Oh fuuuuuuuck</i>,” She moaned the last word as her walls clenched around Draco’s fingers. He slowed his thumb down until she stopped shaking and removed his hand from below her waist. He moved up her body to kiss her on the lips, not even caring that she was still panting from her orgasm.</p><p>Draco’s one knee pushed her legs apart and he ran the tip of his member up and down her slit to wet himself. Not that he thought it was going to be a problem the way she just came, but he also liked to watch her back arch up suddenly when he brushed over her clit. He needed to be inside of her, and normally he’d go slow but she was driving him crazy right now. Maybe it was that she was in his bed, but there was this need to claim her. So Draco entered her with one hard thrust and his eyes nearly rolled back in his head. “Fuck. You feel so good.” He began thrusting in and out of her, slow and deliberate. He began picking up his pace, his breathing getting heavier and moved to hold one of her legs up when he stopped suddenly.</p><p>“Whaaaa?” Sarah’s eyes opened and she looked up at Draco. “What’s wrong?”</p><p>Draco just caught his breath and shook his head. “The baby… I don’t want to hurt it or you. I was about to fuck you into tomorrow.” Sarah just moaned at the thought alone and reached down to Draco’s asscheeks and gripped them to push him deeper inside of her.</p><p>“<i>Fucking hell, Sarah.</i>” He grunted, taking her wrists once more and pinning them up over her head. </p><p>“With these hormones, I don’t think you could fuck me hard <i>enough</i>.” She smirked, licking her bottom lip. Draco just let out a low moan again and started to move his hips at a moderate pace.<br/>
“Don’t give me that half assed thrusting. You did this to me, Malfoy! Fuck me properly or don’t fuck me at all,” She smirked, biting her bottom lip as she could see in his eyes how he was now challenged.</p><p>“<i>I</i> did this to you?” He smirked, slowing his hips now just to torture her. “If you knew even half of the things I <i>want</i> to do to you…” Draco licked his lips. He still wouldn’t let go of her hands, though she was now trying to wiggle her way out of it. “What are these hormones doing to you, exactly?”</p><p>“God, Dracooo stop teasing me!” Practically whining, she started moving her own hips and he laughed at her attempt. “I’m suddenly super horny at random times. My nipples are so fucking sensitive. Please?<i> Please just fuck me, Draco.</i>” Maybe if she tried to be cute and sweet he would listen. Instead he raised his eyebrow and latched his mouth to one of her nipples, biting it softly. </p><p>“So that feels good?” He whispered. All he got was a satisfied moan from Sarah. He took a second to examine her breasts and they were noticeably fuller. Her nipples were larger. He’d never taken into consideration how pregnancy would change a woman’s body, or actually make her more sensitive to pleasure. He had always assumed it was hell to carry a child. He was more worried about hurting her for his own pleasure but here she was telling him it was fine. How could he say no to her? “If it hurts, you tell me alright?” </p><p>“Draco, it’s <i>fine!<i> Just fuck me already! Haven’t you heard of angry ...I don’t know, pregnancy rage? You want that instead?” Sarah raised her eyebrows and he smiled down at her.</i></i></p><p>
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    <i>“If you start getting feisty…” He took her hands and put them above her head again making a ‘tsktsk’ noise. “I think maybe I should fuck you like this.” Sarah just smirked. Draco started moving his hips again, which got Sarah back to low moans. “Is this better?” He asked, picking his pace up.</i>
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    <i>“Yes,” she barely whispered it as she gripped her fingers around Draco’s hands, still pinned above her head. He loved looking at her like this; undone and about to go over the edge all at once. As Draco could feel himself getting closer he finally let Sarah’s hands go and raised one of her legs up to get a better angle. Her hand gripped his arm as he moved faster. His other hand moved to circle her clit and it took barely anything to get her there — her back arching as she tightened around him curses escaping her breath as she rode it out, Draco’s thrusting didn’t stop and neither did her orgasm.</i>
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    <i>“Fuck!” His own orgasm took him off guard, as he gave a few lazy thrusts and then dropped forward on top of Sarah. He didn’t let all his weight lean on her, he moved off to the side because even if she said it was fine, he was still hyper aware of being afraid to hurt her.</i>
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    <i> They laid like that for a few minutes to catch their breath before Draco kissed her and got up to find pants. Sarah rubbed her eyes and looked to see if she could find a clock. She didn’t even know what day it was. Draco yelled from the bathroom about ordering food and she agreed. She finally sat up and took in her surroundings. Small little flat in the heart of London. Would they stay here? What happened to everyone back in the states? Suddenly her mind was moving a hundred miles a minute and before she could even process another thought, someone apparated right into the flat. Sarah reached for her wand on the shelf next to the bed and Draco abandoned what he was doing to get to his.</i>
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    <i>Lucius Malfoy stood in front of Draco’s bed, wiping the apparently invisible cooties of muggle-like living off of his black robes. Sarah scrambled to cover herself up with the blanket, “What the hell?” She hissed at the man at the end of the bed. Lucius looked up with raised eyebrows at Sarah with a look that almost said ‘I could ask you the same thing, sweetheart’. </i>
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    <i>“Are you bloody insane?” Draco asked, looking for a shirt to put on. “You’re lucky I didn’t just send you across the room!”</i>
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    <i>“Well, it wouldn’t have been <i>that far</i> of a push.” Lucius sneered, a jab again at the way Draco was living. His flat was maybe the size of the Malfoy’s smallest bathroom. “I see she,” Lucius pointed idly at Sarah. “Is still here.”</i>
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    <i>“She has a name,” Sarah looked at Draco and he could only shrug. “Turn around so I can hobble to the bathroom without losing any more of my dignity this morning.” Lucius obliged and Sarah quickly got up and ran into the bathroom, locking the door behind her.</i>
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    <i>“We received a call from a family in America asking about our intentions for you to marry. I had only assumed it was about her. Of course I said absolutely not, this was just a phase you are going through and you would eventually come to your senses.”</i>
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    <i>Draco just gritted his teeth and took a deep breath. “Don’t you think perhaps you should get to know her, and possibly consider what I want before you go telling people things like that?”</i>
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    <i>Lucius laughed like what Draco has just said was clearly a joke. “Don’t be ridiculous Draco. You’ve known your entire life who your potential spouse could be. Best to break it off with her now before you both get too attached.” </i>
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    <i>“Thank you for your advice, Father. But that’s not the future that I want. If you can’t accept that then by all means, tell mother that. If she never sees her son again because her husband can’t put his discriminatory views aside, that seems like a marital issue the two of you will have to sort out.” </i>
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    <i>The glare between father and son was intense. Lucius broke it first, a huff coming from him. “You realize what you’re doing? The reputation that will be on our family? I know the girl is a half blood.”</i>
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    <i>“That doesn’t matter anymore. If you can’t see the world is changing, that’s no one’s fault but your own. Tell mother I will send an owl to set a date for dinner so I can introduce her to you both properly.”</i>
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    <i>Draco stood his ground and didn’t utter another word. Lucius tapped his cane and apparated and Draco finally let his shoulders relax. He sighed, rubbing his face with his hands. He heard the bathroom door open and looked back to Sarah leaving the bathroom with a small smile. </i>
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    <i>“Did you hear all of that?”</i>
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    <i>“Only some of it. Don’t worry, my feelings aren’t hurt. Has there been any word from Ipswich?”</i>
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    <i>Shaking his head, he just sighed and sat back on the edge of the bed. “I’m going to apparate back and see if I can find anyone. I feel like rubbish that I just left them, and then we spent the morning in bed, and we don’t know what happened.”</i>
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    <i>“Well, I’m coming with you then.”</i>
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    <i>“Like bloody hell you are, you are staying here. Where it’s.. mostly safe.” If Maxim had learned information about his family it was likely he knew where he currently lived. But his connections in the UK were weak. “Honestly, it might be best if you go to the Ministry. At least warn them if MACUSA hasn’t already.”</i>
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    <i>Sarah looked annoyed, because she was the reason this whole mess had happened. And Draco was standing here telling her what to do like some sort of child, or wife. But he had a point. Maxim would most likely be hunting her down, if he was even alive. There were too many questions that needed to be answered. Every time Sarah got motivated to do something, she remembered that she was pregnant. The thought of ending the pregnancy had crossed her mind so many times, just for the sheer unknown of would our baby be hunted too? But every time the idea made her heart hurt. There had been a very small part of her that believed they would’ve been able to pull it off and be able to resume some sort of normal Wizarding life.</i>
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    <i>“Alright. I’ll go to the ministry. But only because we don’t know what happened and I don’t want to put the baby at risk. <i>Not</i> because you told me to.” Sarah pointed a finger at him before grabbing her wand and changing her clothes to something more business casual. Draco watched her before reaching for her and cupping her cheek. </i>
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    <i>“If you feel at all like you’re in danger, go to the Manor. My dad is an arsehole, but my parents will protect their family at any cost. Tell them about the baby if you have to. My mother won’t let anyone lay a hand on you.” </i>
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    <i>Sarah nodded, a wave of sadness coming over her. “Stop talking like you’re not coming back.” </i>
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    <i>“You really think you can get rid of me that easily? But it never hurts to have a back-up plan. That’s practically a Malfoy family rule.”</i>
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<a name="section0017"><h2>17. and i can't be for you all of the things you want me to</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sarah went to the Ministry and requested a meeting with Kingsley. She informed him of everything that happened the night before and warned him about the possibility of Maxim or his henchman coming to the UK to find her. The Minister said he would fill in his Auror’s and get a team together to be assigned to the council. Not knowing what else to do, she went down to the Department of Mysteries and worked the rest of the day. </p><p>Finishing up, she was about to put the rest of her files on her desk when she heard someone call her name. Looking up, she watched as Harry Potter, newly appointed head of the Auror’s walked towards her desk. “Hello, Mr. Potter.” </p><p>“Hello, Ms. Stewart. Uh, Kingsley sent me down to speak with you about some issues that happened in America. He said Malfoy was involved?” Sarah lifted her head when he said Draco’s name and she nodded.</p><p>“Yes, he volunteered for the job.”</p><p>“He didn’t make it worse did he?”</p><p>“Would you be surprised if I said no?”</p><p>Harry looked at her and she maintained eye contact with him. The last time she met him she didn’t know who he was. He was practically worshipped at the Ministry. Even in MACUSA he was rather well known. But examining him now, he was just a kid. Like her, like Draco. Like everyone else put into these messes because of mistakes made before them. “I didn’t mean it like that. I meant it as… from the information I gathered, finding out you both betrayed your grandfather, will that make him want to find the both of you.”</p><p>Sarah couldn’t tell if he was backtracking because she stood up to him, but she shook her head no. “Draco has no purpose for him now, but that just makes him disposable. Voldemort wanted you dead because you were the only one who could kill him. Maxim wants me dead because I’m the only living member that brings shame to the family name and I betrayed him.” She wanted to mention her pregnancy, that there was more as to why she couldn’t continue on the family name… but she didn’t know him.</p><p>“Well, I will personally lead the team investigating the council. I’d like to sit down with you and get specific details if possible tomorrow? I need to know everything we could be up against.” Sarah nodded, packing up the rest of her belongings and Harry began walking away. “Also,” Harry turned back around, “I want you to know that I don’t hate Draco. I don’t think he knows this, but his mother is the reason I’m even alive. I know he got caught up in something he couldn’t escape, the last few years we all did things we didn’t want to in order to survive.”</p><p>Sarah gave a small smile. “Thank you, Mr. Potter. I’ll write up a parchment for you as well to keep after our talk.”</p><p> </p><p>Draco didn’t come back to the flat that night and Sarah couldn’t sleep. Maybe she became too reliant on him, but she knew she just missed him. She was worried and nauseous and decided that instead of tossing and turning she would write the parchment she told Harry she would. The more the Ministry knew about COA, the easier it would be to stop them. The sun was coming up by the time she finished and Sarah forced herself up to get showered and meet with Harry. </p><p> An owl reached her before breakfast and it was from Harry to meet her at a cafe nearby. He warned her that Ronald Weasley, another Auror, would be there too. Sarah realized that she hadn’t eaten since the day before and she was starving. The cafe was quiet, a good place for them to chat. She gave Harry the parchment she had written up and introduced herself to Ron. It was clear that Draco wasn’t Ron’s favorite person either, but she stayed professional as they asked her questions.</p><p>“Oy, how come someone in the states needs a pure blood and no one asks me if I want to volunteer?” Ron looked honestly insulted and Sarah just scrunched her face up.</p><p>“Ron, she needed someone with a certain type of personality to pull it off. I don’t think yours would’ve been very convincing.” Harry offered and Sarah gave a small laugh. He was right. Draco had played the part beautifully, although it hadn't been acting for long. </p><p> She continued to describe the Council when she felt the hairs on her arms stand up. Sarah glanced up and saw Draco walking towards the table and immediately got up and ran to him. Draco scooped her up, hugging her as tightly as possible, breathing her in. “God, I was so worried.” She whispered it into his neck. </p><p>“I’m fine,” Draco said it softly, but Sarah could sense there was more that needed to be said.</p><p>“What is it?” She pulled back, looking at his face.</p><p>“Linney,” Draco shook his head, swallowing hard. His hand rubbed his mouth and chin. “He did it to punish Redd.” Sarah closed her eyes and took a deep breath. There were tears welling up, but she didn’t want to cry in the middle of a cafe in London. There would be a proper time to mourn her, when her grandfather was out of the picture entirely and couldn't hurt anyone anymore.</p><p>“Everyone else?” She could barely speak.</p><p>“They’re alive. Anders is hurt. But he will recover.” Draco’s eyes now went to the table she was sitting at. Both Ron and Harry were staring, a little dumbfounded at the interactions between Draco and Sarah. “Are they bothering you?” He asked, his anger slowly rising. “Kingsley said you were here, but he didn’t tell me-“</p><p>“No, Kingsley put them on this too. They’ve been helpful, Draco. I promise they've been respectful.” Sarah grabbed his hand and led him to the table. The three men all eyed each other as Draco and Sarah joined the table.<br/>“Malfoy.”</p><p>“Potter. Weasley.”</p><p>There was a lot of silence before Sarah initiated the conversation and asked Draco to fill everyone in on what he learned. It seemed the three men actually worked well together at brainstorming and attempting to figure out the Council’s next move. From what everyone had gathered, Maxim was alive and Gary had escaped without killing him. Sarah wondered if it might be worth looking for Gary as he knew all of her grandfather's secrets. Harry and Ron agreed. Draco’s eyes just narrowed at the thought of having to be near Gary again. </p><p>“I have to use the ladies room, excuse me.” Sarah walked away from the table and the three men looked at one another.</p><p>Ron cleared his throat and nodded his head. “So, you and Sarah? You’re a … thing?”</p><p>Draco looked at him with a glare, but as he thought about it, his expression softened. “I, uh… I guess, yeah.” He sat up a little straighter and shrugged. Also considering she was carrying his child as they spoke. “We haven’t exactly spoken about it, except for when we were infiltrating the Council. But, I.. I guess. We're always together.” </p><p>“Good for you, mate.” Harry nodded. It went silent again and this time Draco cleared his throat.</p><p>“You still with Granger?” Draco asked Ron, “Ginny?” He nodded at Harry. Both replied yes. Harry explained how Ginny went back to Hogwarts for her last year. Ron complained about Hermione insisting on taking the rest of her N.E.W.T’s. Sarah watched from the corridor as Draco spoke to Harry and Ron. She was glad they were getting along. It was clear to her that Draco and Harry had unresolved issues, but the truth was they really weren’t that different. Sarah approached the table and sat back down.</p><p>“What is a NEWT? You are making it sound like a test.”</p><p>“It is. In fifth year we take OWL’s and then in seventh year we take NEWT’s to see what jobs we qualify for when we leave Hogwarts.” Draco explained like Sarah should know this.</p><p>“Oh, so you guys all took them?”</p><p>Ron shook his head first. “Nope, the lot of us were… well-”</p><p>“We were fighting.” Draco finished it for him. Him and Ron just looked at each other with a sense of understanding.</p><p>“Well, that sucks. We only have to take one test in our sixth year and ours definitely has a cooler name — JARVEY’s.” All three men raised their eyebrows and looked at her like she was crazy. Sarah just rolled her eyes and sipped her tea. “Well, at least I took mine.’</p>
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<a name="section0018"><h2>18. but i will love you constantly, there's precious little else to me</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>* 18+ mature content warning *</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>For some reason, Sarah thought that Draco might have been mad that she spoke to Harry and Ron. But they walked back to Draco’s flat and once in the door, Draco scratched the back of his head. “You know, if you don’t want to stay here, you don’t have to.” Probably the wrong choice of words for him to use.</p><p>Sarah turned around, eyebrows raised in confusion. “Why wouldn’t I want to stay here?”</p><p>“I don’t know. I just wanted you to know that I wouldn’t be mad if you didn’t.”</p><p>“Did I do something?” Immediately Sarah got defensive. “Why don’t you want me to stay here?”</p><p>“No!” Draco shook his head, nervous for once. “I want you here. I just…” he took a deep breath and shoved his hands into his pockets. A red color rose on his cheeks and he wouldn’t look at Sarah. “They asked me if we were together and I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t want to say yes if you thought differently. Then I started to worry maybe I was pressuring you so I wanted you to know that, you know… there’s options. I know I can be a bit much, controlling and...”</p><p>“Draco, I want to be here. With you.” Draco looked up to her and from what she could interpret from his look was that he needed to hear her say that. “And not because of the pregnancy, it’s because I love you. I know things got messy with pretending and then not… but it’s real for me.”</p><p>‘Sarah, I’m a lot. I’m fucked in the head and jealous and-“</p><p>“Are you done?” Draco stood there with his mouth open. “Draco, this is like the third time you’re giving me this speech.” Sarah put her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes. “Do you love me?”</p><p>“Yes,” Draco didn’t hesitate to answer.</p><p>“So it was unintentional and stupid and reckless and I’m carrying a fuck ton of emotional baggage and so are you. Do you think Potter isn’t damaged? Your parents? Everyone is fucked up, Draco. You can let it define you, let it continue to eat away at you... or you can do better. Do better for this baby. But you have to believe you deserve it. Because you do.”</p><p>Draco just looked at her with a blank expression. Sarah was right. He wasn’t used to hearing that he was worthy, his whole life he had always just been expected to be more. Do more. Prove his worth to his family, like he had to earn the right of being a Malfoy. Sarah stared back at him, her hands still firmly planted on her hips.</p><p>“Are we done with this subject then? Or do you need more of a pity party because I have to find a healer and my grandfather is trying to hunt me down and kill me.” Draco felt a little guilty that he let his emotions take over like that. Not only was it not like him, but he forgot the reason they were even together in the first place. </p><p>“You haven't seen a healer yet? How did you find out you are pregnant then?”</p><p>“Draco, you’re so funny. I grew up in the no-maj world. I took a pregnancy test.” He looked utterly confused and shook his head. </p><p>“I can call someone my family knows. She’ll be discreet for the right price. Does anyone else know about the baby?”</p><p>“No. Just whoever was in that room and whoever they told.” Sarah sighed and ran her hands through her hair. “I shouldn’t have just blurted it out like that. Now we’re at more of a risk.”</p><p>Draco thought for a moment and grabbed a piece of parchment to write to Ada, the healer. “Maybe we can spin it as you said it just so he wouldn’t hurt you. Or as a way to distract him.” He finished up the letter and moved to the window where his owl was, sending her off. It didn’t take long for the owl to return with confirmation of Ada coming later on in the afternoon to examine Sarah.</p><p>The moment Ada stepped through the door of Draco’s flat, Sarah was immediately smitten with her. She looked like a pleasant older woman, wearing a knit cardigan and carrying a small handbag with her. Her glasses were at least a half an inch thick and they magnified her gentle green eyes. Sarah found it hard to believe that this little woman would keep secrets in return for cash. But that image was shattered when Draco and her were talking in low voices, and from what Sarah could gather… negotiating prices. Sarah could see the both of them getting irritated before they finally settled on some sort of arrangement. </p><p>Introductions were made and Ada directed Sarah to lie down comfortably on the bed. “Now dear, I’m going to wave my wand over your body to get some vital signs and to check on the baby. We’re going to look for a heartbeat and see if we can get a measurement to try and determine a due date. How have you been feeling?”</p><p>“Um, I guess I’ve been feeling good. I was really tired for a few weeks. Like I could sleep all day and I had some nausea. But I drank a lot of water because I thought maybe I was just dehydrated.” Ada smiled as she worked her wand over Sarah’s body and Draco stood back, his hands crossed over his chest like he was awaiting bad news. </p><p>“Ah, yes, those are all normal dear. Have you had any bleeding or spotting?” Sarah just shook her head.</p><p>“My…” Sarah whispered it, mostly because she was embarrassed as her cheeks flushed read. “My breasts are very sensitive and my nipples feel like they’re on fire.” Ada laughed and shook her head.<br/>“That’s also normal. Your body is adjusting so that you can nurse when the baby arrives.” </p><p>“Oh,” Sarah said softly. Her no-maj grandmother that raised her had explained that sex could lead to pregnancy and no-maj contraception that could prevent it, but hadn’t felt it was necessary to tell her what happened if she did get pregnant. Sarah suddenly felt very foolish and covered her face with her hands under the guise of rubbing her eyes.</p><p>Draco moved forward, his posture softening a bit. “But she is okay, right? And the baby is okay?” He couldn’t help his possessive nature, and as much as Sarah insisted this was a result of both of them being careless, Draco felt responsible. He had been with a few ladies during his time at Hogwarts. They had all been on some type of potion that prevented pregnancy. He had been reckless enough to just assume Sarah was but he completely forgot about her no-maj upbringing. Two different worlds colliding and this was the end result.</p><p>“She is fine, Draco. Her vital signs are good. Keep up with the water drinking, Sarah. It’s very beneficial for you and the baby. Also try and stay away from coffee and tea with a lot of caffeine it will dehydrate you as well as make you more tired in the end.” Ada gently lifted Sarah’s shirt and lowered the waistband of her sweatpants slightly and began to press around her stomach. It was an odd feeling for her, but she could immediately recognize that the lower part of her stomach was harder when Ada pressed there. “My, my. Sarah, how long ago did you realize you were pregnant?”</p><p>“I think… maybe about a week and a few days?” There was worry in her voice. “I took a pregnancy test.” This was met with confusion by Draco and Ada. Sarah figured it was because Ada probably only treated pure blood witches and wizards. “It’s a plastic test you buy and you urinate on it and I guess there’s something that can detect if you’re pregnant or not. I only know because my sister did it once. But she only had one line appear… mine had two.” </p><p>“That is so very interesting! I would love to see one if you happen to come across another one. Fascinating, really.” Ada pulled her hands away and put Sarah’s clothes back. “My dear, from what I can tell you’re about sixteen to seventeen weeks pregnant. You’re nearly halfway into the pregnancy. I’d say the baby will probably come around Samhain.”</p><p>Draco’s mouth dropped. “Samhain? Fuck, that’s less than five months away!” Sarah was speechless. It was clear the two of them were in no way prepared for this.</p><p>“Generally, pregnancies last from thirty-eight to forty weeks. Given it’s your first child, it will probably be more towards the forty. But, the heartbeat is good and strong. You’re doing a wonderful job so far, Sarah. I’d like to see you in about four weeks just to check up.” Sarah just nodded and sat up as Ada said her goodbyes and headed out of the flat.</p><p>Draco and Sarah just looked at each other. The truth was that neither one of them knew what to say. Both of them were afraid, but for different reasons. Sarah was terrified her grandfather would show up at any moment and that would be the end. Draco was certain he was going to be a shitty husband (if that was even still on the table given the circumstances) and an even shittier father.</p><p>“Well, I-“</p><p>“If we-“</p><p>Both of them stopped and laughed softly and Draco moved to the bed to sit down. “I guess I didn’t realize so much time had passed while we were in Massachusetts.” Draco offered, running a hand through his platinum blonde hair. “The more I think about it, the more I feel like it was all just a rushed blur.”</p><p>“A lot happened while we were there. And really fast.”</p><p>“Yeah.” Draco reached over to grab Sarah’s hand. “I want you to feel safe with me. And I selfishly want to ask you to please not go back to America.”</p><p>Sarah gave Draco’s hand a small squeeze and nodded. “I’m not going back. At least not permanently. There is nothing for me there. If you’re here, I’m here. I think this baby deserves a family. We both deserve a family, too.” Draco leaned down, kissing Sarah on the lips as she laid back on the bed, Draco’s body hovering on top of her. </p><p>“Of all the things that have happened in my life, you, Sarah Stewart, are the best one.” Draco kissed her again and Sarah’s arms wrapped around his neck. </p><p>“You’re just saying that to get in my pants.” Sarah mumbled it against Draco’s lips and he kissed down her neck.</p><p>“I don’t need to say anything to get into those.” A wicked grin crossed his face as he slid a hand down under Sarah’s pants and found the little nub he was looking for, circling it lightly. Sarah threw her head back and moaned. Her first instinct was to dig her nails into his back or tug on his hair but she caught the outline of Draco’s cock straining against the fabric of his pants and she wanted it. </p><p>Sarah had never been a particularly sexual person. Sure, she had made out with boys and had crushes. She lost her virginity in her teens and didn’t enjoy any of that experience. Sex seemed like more trouble than it was worth. But that night in the mansion when Draco and her acted like they were in the midst of a sexual act, Sarah had never been so turned on in her life. He said nasty things, and she liked them. She had spent the next few days wondering what it would be like to do those things with Draco. Sarah had surprised even herself when she initiated sex with Draco at her cottage.<br/>“Draco,” She breathed, his fingers were still working on her when she tried to sit up. “Stop, I want…” Draco looked up, a bit of concern on his face as he removed his hand from her body. He sat on his knees and Sarah moved towards him.</p><p>“What do you want, love?” One hand reached out to her face, his thumb grazing over her bottom lip. He loved her lips. Even when she frowned he wanted to taste them. Sarah got close to him and he could smell her coconut shampoo. If he licked his lips he could make out the faintest taste of mint from her chapstick. </p><p>Sarah’s hand slid up Draco’s thigh and then pressed hard against his erection. “I want this.” Draco sucked a breath in between his teeth and groaned, grinding slightly against her hand.<br/>“You can have that all night.” An arrogant smile was on his face now and Sarah just shook her head, fumbling with the buttons on his jeans. When their eyes met, Sarah could tell he was seconds away from devouring her. Draco saw some sort of wickedness in her eyes he hadn’t noticed before. She freed his cock and gave it a few slow strokes, really feeling his girth in her hands. “Fuck,” he moaned, and moved towards her body as if to push her down but she resisted. Draco looked up, confused.</p><p>Sarah got off the bed and the look of disappointment on his face was dramatic. “That night in the mansion,” she motioned her finger for Draco to come to the edge of the bed and he obeyed. “The things you said you wanted to do to me… I’ve never heard stuff like that before.” Draco’s eyebrow raised. Sarah pulled off her top and unhooked her bra. She dropped to her knees, situating herself between his legs. Draco just looked as if someone had presented him with a treasure chest. “I had only had sex a few times. I’d never come at the hands of someone else before.” Draco moaned, his breathing obviously getting heavier as she finally began stroking his cock again. She didn’t even know how much every word coming out of her mouth only got him more worked up. “You need to know how much I want you. How you are the only man who has ever made me feel like this. And you’re the only man who ever will.” </p><p>Sarah’s tongue went from the base of Draco’s cock to the tip where she started to take him in her mouth. Draco was in absolute heaven. None of the Slytherin girls he had been with had ever used their mouth on that part of his body. They had called it gross and said that it was beneath them. And here was a woman confessing how this was something she thought about since that night he let her know only a fraction of the things he had thought about doing to her. He didn’t know how she did it, but she almost had his entire member in her mouth and he could feel the tip of it hitting the back of her throat as she moved her head up and down. “Fuuuuuck,” Draco’s hands reached down to caress her hair, “Sarah this feels so fucking good.” He could barely breathe it out.</p><p>Sarah couldn’t get enough of him. Every whimper that came out of him made her body tingle. She could feel him getting harder in her mouth, the same as when he was inside of her right before she felt the warmth pool in between her legs. When she took her mouth off of him, it looked like his eyes were in the back of his head. Draco wanted to be inside of her, but she resisted when he tried to pull her into his lap. Sarah got back on her knees. “What did you want to do to me that first night? What did you say?” She began stroking him again, Draco wasn’t sure how much longer he could last if she kept this up.</p><p>“I said I’d come on your tits.” Draco growled, his eyes darting down to her chest. “Your perfect tits.” He took both hands and grabbed her breasts, cupping them in his hands and running his thumbs over her hard nipples. She shivered when he did it and he remembered what she said earlier about them being sensitive. “They’re even more perfect now.” Sarah only smirked, still focusing on his cock. “But what I really wanted,” Draco sat forward now and without warning he got up and scooped Sarah up with him, throwing her on her back onto the bed and within seconds he was invading the area between her legs with his fingers while one of them grabbed a breast. Draco positioned himself at her entrance and with one hard thrust entered her. Both of them moaned and he gave her a second to adjust to him. “I wanted to be so buried inside of you that we wouldn’t be able to tell where I ended and you began.” </p><p>Sarah almost came right there, her hormones were going crazy. Draco didn’t move, he just rubbed her clit as she moaned louder and louder. “I’m not going to last long, love. Not since you took me in your mouth so you need to come so I can finish.” She just nodded as her hands gripped the sheets.</p><p>“Please. Fuck me. Hard.” He began moving inside of her, erratically as he could feel her beginning to tighten around him.</p><p>“Sarah, fuck! I can't get enough of you.” Draco felt her release and she practically screamed his name, her walls clenched around him so tight he didn’t stand a chance as she milked every last drop out of him. They curled up together under the comforter and lay silent for a while, catching their breath.</p><p>“I know it was only for appearances before… but do you still want to get married?” Draco asked it nervously, he was never good at rejection.</p><p>Sarah turned to him, a small smile on her face. “Yes, Draco. Yes, I still want to marry you.” A relieved sigh left Draco’s lips and he pressed his forehead against Sarah’s.</p><p>“I was so scared you were going to say no.”</p><p>“I’m yours, Draco. Always yours.”</p>
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<a name="section0019"><h2>19. father tell me, do we get what we deserve?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Their lives went back to some sort of normalcy. Their jobs at the Ministry resumed, and Draco didn’t even mind because Sarah would pop in and out of his office a few times a day. Potter and Weasley kept them informed of anything they knew related to Sarah’s grandfather but he seemed to be laying low for the time being. It worried Sarah because she knew he must be working on some sort of strategy. </p><p>They got married in secret a week after he had asked her again. It was quick, at the Ministry, with Riana and her husband as the witnesses. Things were too uncertain for the both of them to chance waiting, and as they kissed for the first time as husband and wife, Draco was sure he had never been this happy before in his life. </p><p>Weekends were Draco’s favorite time, where him and Sarah would go to Diagon Alley and spend the day walking around aimlessly. Sarah never hid her adoration of Draco, and in return it seemed people were more open to his presence. Sarah made him want to be a better person. He would do anything for her, and as the weeks went by his only purpose was to be the best husband and father possible. </p><p>The pregnancy remained a secret; neither had spoken about what to do when the time came where it couldn’t be hidden anymore. Draco had already been worrying over them needing to get a bigger flat. Or a house. The tiny one room flat in a noisy building wouldn’t be suitable for a baby. </p><p>Draco had also never thought about expenses before; he knew he had a more than comfortable account at Gringotts, but he would definitely need to keep working. Sarah had said she wanted to keep working as well, but taking time off when the baby was born was a necessity. And did they trust anyone to take care of their child?</p><p>His inheritance from his father would have them set for life — but he hadn’t contacted his parents and Sarah had only mentioned it once and when she saw how irritable and unsure he was, she told him she would support whatever decision he made in that regard. It had been on Draco’s mind a lot lately, but more pressing matters were always at the front of his brain.</p><p>On this Sunday morning, Sarah exited the bathroom fresh from a shower. It smelled like coconut and sugar — Draco had no idea what sort of muggle products she used but they were enticing to his senses. He often pretended to be reading or engaged with something else, but he loved to watch her. She would run her hands through her curls and scrunch them up to her scalp. The way she she applied lotion to her legs was almost erotic. His favorite part was when she would drop her towel and pull her lace knickers up her body. By the time they got over her hips he could hardly keep himself together, all he could think about was bending her over the dresser and pushing the fabric aside to get to his favorite place in the world.</p><p>They hadn’t been intimate in a few days, and Draco was practically salivating as he watched her. He was considering taking her by surprise; she usually enjoyed when he took control, but when she dropped the towel from her torso, his heart stopped. He hadn’t noticed it before.</p><p>Sarah had a baby bump.</p><p>Draco smiled, a sense of pride and a sense of love came over him. His possessive side came out too, and he liked that he had done that to her. She was carrying his child. Instinct took over and he got up and made his way over to her. “Sarah,” he said it with a foolish grin, her blue eyes looked up to him with curiosity as he put his arms around her from behind and placed his hands on her stomach. “You’re showing.” Draco hadn’t touched her there before; he didn’t know if it was appropriate or not. But he couldn’t help himself, it was like the realization finally hit him that they were having a baby. He was so happy. The grin never left his face and Sarah put her own hands over his.</p><p>“I didn’t notice,” Sarah admitted, dragging herself and Draco a few steps over to look in the mirror. When she turned to the side it was pretty obvious. It was like her stomach had grown overnight. “Holy shit,” she breathed out. She looked up to Draco’s shit eating grin in the mirror and laughed. “That’s our baby.” </p><p>“That’s our baby.” He echoed, nodding. His hands ran over the bump mostly because he was fascinated. “I love you, you know that?”</p><p>Sarah laughed, turning her head back to kiss him softly. “I do.” Was this what it was like to actually be happy? She wondered. </p><p>“Alright, I suppose that’s enough gawking at my hot wife in the mirror. Do you want to look at that two bedroom flat a few blocks away from the Ministry?” If anything, the physical part of her pregnancy made it that much clearer they were running short on time.</p><p>Sarah slipped a dress on, searching for her shoes under the bed.  “Yeah, I bet it beats this closet.” She teased, grabbing her bag from the dresser. Draco kissed her temple and they moved to the door when he stopped.</p><p>“Get behind me.” He said, the hairs on his arm standing up. Someone was on the other side of the door. Draco reached for his wand, Sarah had hers in hand but she still stood behind him knowing what was at risk. Draco hoped it was just his father playing ridiculous mind tricks on him. But the door burst open and on the other side was Gary — wand pointed directly at the two of them.</p><p>Gary acted first, coming for the attack as Draco deflected. Things were breaking, glasses shattering. Draco would easily be able to take him. Especially if Sarah was able to attack Gary. But then he saw more figures coming up behind Gary and he cast a spell first, giving them just enough time for him to grab her hand and apparate them to the only place he knew for sure they would never be able to find them.</p><p>The two of them fell to the floor and Sarah caught her breath, black marble tile shining underneath her. The room was darker than what she was used to and she squinted her eyes to adjust to the light. She reached for Draco, whose left arm looked like it was bleeding. “Shit,” Sarah scrambled to him and looked at his arm. “Draco, you’re going to need a healer, I don’t think I can fix this,” she almost started crying as Draco winced and tried to get himself up on his other arm.</p><p>“<i>Well, this is certainly a surprise.</i>” Sarah looked up, knowing that voice. Lucius Malfoy stood over her and Draco with a woman that she could only guess was Draco’s mother, Naricissa Malfoy. “You could’ve dressed nicer to introduce us to your play toy.”</p><p>“<i>Please,</i>” Draco’s voice was filled with desperation as he looked at his mother. He acted like his father wasn’t even there. “Mother, we need your help. She’s pregnant with my child. There is no other safe place we can go.”</p><p>Narcissa didn’t show a hint of emotion as Lucius scowled. Instead, she leaned down to Sarah and offered her hand. “Well, the floor is no place for the woman carrying my grandchild, is it?” She smiled, and Sarah accepted the hand and got herself up.</p><p> “Tibsy!” All of a sudden, a house elf appeared and Sarah nearly jumped back. “Please take Master Draco to his old bed chambers and get Teely to heal his arm. She will need to inspect Miss Sarah next. Thank you.” Narcissa gently held onto Sarah’s hand and led her towards a hallway. “Now, I do believe formal introductions are warranted, yes?”</p>
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<a name="section0020"><h2>20. all of our fear and the fire of the end of the world</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Narcissa Malfoy was poised and elegant. She walked in front of Sarah in a long corridor lit by sconces on the walls and all Sarah thought about was how straight Naricissa’s back was as she practically glided in front of her. Sarah had a horrible knot in her stomach. Where was Draco? This house was gigantic, she probably wouldn’t even be able to find her way back to whatever room they had apparated in. </p><p>They stopped in front of an archway that led to a set of doors that led outside. “I figured since the weather has been beautiful we could sit outside.” Narcissa gestured to the door and Sarah nodded. “Tibsy will bring us drinks shortly.” They walked onto a huge veranda overlooking a very perfect looking garden. “Please, take a seat.”</p><p>Sarah did as she was told and her eyes kept looking out at the garden and land that looked like it never stopped. “Your home is very beautiful.” She offered, turning to look at Narcissa.</p><p>She gave a warm smile back to Sarah and nodded. “It is. Of course it’s been passed down through generations of Malfoy’s so I can't personally take much credit for anything. I’ve tried to lighten the house up a bit, but the Malfoy men love their dark and ominous environment. Which … isn’t ominous at all.” Tibsy arrived with a tea pot and Narcissa nodded for Sarah to help herself.</p><p>“I guess that makes sense why every fabric in Draco’s apartment- sorry, flat - was dark.” She poured herself a cup of tea.</p><p>“Sarah, I want to be very transparent here. Regardless of what my husband has said to you or about you, no harm will come to you here, lest by mine or Lucius’ hands. My husband put his faith into something he had no business being involved with because it aligned with ideals we were raised with. It’s no excuse for any of the behavior we exhibited but it became about survival for us much sooner than anticipated. I know Draco needed to get away from here, I wish I could most days. I am, however, happy that he had you and that he wasn’t alone. Draco would never admit it because of pride, but he isn’t made for solitude.” Narcissa made her own cup of tea and smiled. Footsteps grew behind them and Sarah looked to the door to see Draco and his father approaching.</p><p>Sarah immediately got up and walked to Draco, “Is your arm okay? Did you get hurt anywhere else?” She grabbed his arm and examined it but he pulled away and cupped one of her cheeks.</p><p>“I’m fine. Teely is quite good at healing. I’m just glad you’re not hurt.” Lucius cleared his throat and Draco’s whole tone changed. “Let’s sit down and get this over with,” he said it low, instinctively grabbing Sarah’s hand as they sat down. Draco spotted the cup in front of Sarah. “I thought Ada said no tea?”</p><p>“You’ve seen Ada?” Lucius asked curiously, eyebrows raised as he looked at his son.</p><p>“Yes, she has been examining Sarah every few weeks.”</p><p>“Weeks? Just how far along is she?”</p><p>“Lucius, do not speak of the girl as if she isn’t here.” Narcissa shot a look to her husband, before putting a cup of tea in front of him. Sarah was starting to see that Narcissa was his weakness. Lucius hadn’t questioned her once since their arrival. “It’s good she has been seeing Ada. She’s a very skilled healer. I trust both yourself and the baby are healthy?”</p><p>Sarah just nodded and for one of the few times in her life, was nervous to speak. Lucius intimidated her. </p><p>So Draco answered for her. “They’re healthy and the baby is due around Samhain.”</p><p>Lucius almost spit out his tea and clutched his chest. “Merlin that is right around the corner, you didn’t waste any time at all did you? This half blood knew exactly what she was doing when she met Draco-” The question was directed towards Sarah and Narcissa snapped her head to her husband.</p><p>“Lucius,” Narcissa said his name sharply. “Perhaps you are forgetting how the battle to secure only pure bloodlines ended the last two times? If I recall correctly, the majority of us sitting at this table almost didn’t survive it. And now the Malfoy name gets to live on.” Lucius was grinding his teeth and Draco was staring at him like he wanted to jump across the table and strangle him.</p><p>“What do you want me to do, father? Leave her on the street and go marry Pansy and live a life of misery simply for an utterly ridiculous idea we are superior to others? Potter is half muggle and he took down Voldemort. Weasley is a pureblood and he’s a bloody git. It’s all rubbish, why can’t you see that?” Draco was getting heated and Sarah just squeezed his hand.</p><p>“Draco,” Sarah said it softly. Draco stopped, putting his head down and taking a deep breath. </p><p>“You two have been through a lot,” Narcissa set her cup down. “Would you please tell us what happened so that we can keep you safe?”</p><p>Sarah told them about her life and the events leading up to meeting Draco. From there they both filled in details. When silence finally set in, Draco looked at Sarah and noticed he had never seen her look so sad before. “What’s wrong?”</p><p>Sarah didn’t even look up. “I just didn’t realize until now that I <i>really</i> don’t have any family.”</p><p>“Nonsense,” Narcissa stated, waving a hand as if it wasn’t that big of a deal. “We are your family as well.” Sarah just gave a small smile and nodded. “Well, you two have had an eventful day…”</p><p>“Sarah can stay in the guest room-“ Lucius began and Narcissa looked at him like he was insane.</p><p>“For what reason? <i>Are you worried she could possibly get pregnant?</i>” Draco and Sarah looked at each other and Draco gave her a smirk. He forgot how much he missed his mother while he was in London.</p><p>Everyone stood up to exit the veranda when Draco stopped. “There’s something else you should know.” His parents looked at them and he took a deep breath. “We’re also married.”</p><p>Lucius just bowed his head, shaking it. “My only son is trying to send me to an early grave.”</p>
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<a name="section0021"><h2>21. all the things yet to come are the things that have passed</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The moment they stepped into Draco’s bedroom, Sarah knew it was his. It was dark, as was most of the manor. But there was some lightness to it. The first thing she noticed were an abundance of books scattered all around the room. Piles on the floor and a desk. She smiled, he had always spoken about how much he loved to read about alchemy. </p><p>Draco scratched the back of his neck as he watched Sarah take in her surroundings. He was horribly nervous right now. His flat in London had been his to do what he wanted with; but this was his childhood home. He couldn’t even think about being the person who had grown up in this room. “If you’d rather stay in the guest room, we can do that…” Sarah turned around to look at him with a smirk.</p><p>“I love it.”</p><p>“Huh? You love it?” Draco shot her a look that said ‘stop lying’ but Sarah moved to the desk and flipped through the book on top.</p><p>“We spent months at my cottage. Your flat was barely lived in and then I came along. I’d say it was more our place. But this is all you. And I love you, so I love it.” She shrugged and walked back towards Draco. “Do you think Gary will try to find us here? What was he even doing? The last we saw him he was fighting Maxim?”</p><p>Draco was just as confused as Sarah was. Gary definitely seemed a lot more unstable than he had originally thought, though. “He won’t be able to find us here. The manor is probably better protected than your grandfather's mansion. It will protect any Malfoy while here and while we haven’t changed your name officially yet, you are under protection because you’re carrying one. It won’t let any person intending harm on us in the gates.” Sarah rested her hand on her now baby bump and nodded. “We are also a long way from London so we can probably go into town tomorrow and get you clothes and other things house elves can’t procure.” </p><p>“I want to keep working. I don’t want to have to stay here under lock and key, though. You know I can’t do that.” Sarah leaned into Draco and he sighed, wrapping his arms around her.</p><p>“I know. I want to keep working too. I think we should tell Potter and Weasley about Gary. And I can’t believe these words are about to come out of my mouth… but the four of us working together might get all of this settled sooner. And keep you the best protected. Potter is a royal pain in my arse, but he will defend you.” </p><p>Draco had been reluctant to schedule a meeting with Harry and Ron. But once he had sent them an owl and gotten Potter’s response, it was clear they wanted to meet immediately. They set a time that day to meet at The Leaky Cauldron, and as the time approached, Draco had gotten more and more nervous.</p><p>“They will never trust me, Sarah. Ever. It doesn’t matter what I do-“</p><p>Sarah stopped him by kissing him. “You are helping them take down a truly horrible person. You are doing the right thing. You’ve done right by me.” She could tell that what she said didn’t make a huge difference but Draco seemed a little more calm than before.</p><p>They didn’t tell Lucius and Narcissa where they were going. All they said was that they needed to speak to people at the Ministry. When they apparated to Diagon Alley, Draco turned to Sarah. “You know they’re going to see you’re pregnant.” Sarah nodded.</p><p>“I don’t think it’s worth it to hide it anymore. I’m not sure I can hide it much longer.” Draco grabbed her hand and they walked to The Leaky Cauldron. Draco easily spotted Ron, Harry, and Hermione Granger — the elite golden trio, sitting at a table in the corner. He took a long breath, not surprised Granger was there. The Prophet had run a story about how she finished her NEWT’s and was appointed head of Magical Enforcement permanently. Draco thought it was the perfect job for her, if he was being honest.</p><p>As they approached the table, he could see all of their eyes go to Sarah’s abdomen and he swallowed hard. “Potter. Weasley. Granger.” He nodded to each one respectively. “This is Sarah,” He introduced her to Hermione who gave a big smile and shook Sarah’s hand. They took a seat across from them and Draco looked so nervous. Sarah was the one more at ease.</p><p>“Congratulations on your position, Hermione. We read about it in the paper.” Sarah started the conversation first and Hermione beamed and thanked her. </p><p>“Oy,” Ron butted in first, “Sarah, you’re pregnant!?” Hermione slapped Ron in the back of the head and Sarah was slightly taken aback. “Well, bloody hell, it’s pretty obvious isn’t it?”</p><p>“I am. I knew I was when we first came back from the states but we didn’t want it to get around. But now…” Sarah looked at Draco with a weak smile. “Now we think it's one of the reasons Gary is coming for me. They don’t want the Stewart name continuing, especially not from me.” </p><p>“So... it’s Draco’s baby?” Ron asked, sipping on his butterbeer like he was listening to a daytime drama.</p><p>“Yes, you bloody git it’s my baby.” Draco spat, half wanting to take the rest of his cup and toss it at his face. </p><p>“Easy, mate. I just can’t picture the Malfoy’s are entirely thrilled about the situation either.” Ron added, eyebrows raised. Draco looked at him with defeat, because he wasn’t entirely wrong. “But Oy, show them what we found out this morning, Harry.”</p><p>Their eyes moved to Harry who had a stack of documents in front of him. “We came across a few permits for travel from the states that looked suspicious. Three wizards, all male. When they arrived the enforcement asked them questions they didn’t know the answers to. Like who they were visiting, where they had come from. None of their stories matched so they were put in holding rooms. They all escaped and managed to get their wands but one.” Harry reached into his pocket and pulled out a wand and set it on the table. “Does this look familiar?”<br/>Draco looked at Sarah whose face went pale and her eyes widened. “Sarah, what is it?”</p><p>“It’s not possible..” Sarah whispered, one of her hands reaching for the wand but she pulled her hand back suddenly. “This… this is my father’s wand.”</p><p>“Well, that’s good, then? We know who one of the men are, makes identif-”</p><p>“Her father’s been dead for eight years.” Draco said it flatly, all of them staring at the wand on the table in front of them.</p><p>Silence fell between them all and Ron finally let his mouth close. Everyone was staring at Sarah who was staring at the wand. “I need to get into the mansion. I <i>need</i> the books. Whatever Maxim is planning, or playing… I have to go back there and see-”</p><p>“Sarah,” Harry spoke first, leaning on his hands in front of him. “I’m sorry but we sent two Aurors there a few days ago. The house has been completely burned down and is surrounded by dark, powerful magic.”</p><p>Sarah looked like someone had stabbed her in the heart. “There’s no way… Maxim wouldn’t just leave hundreds of years of history there and burn it. I know he would’ve taken those out at least. Please let me go back and check. <i>Please</i>.”</p><p>“Aye, where are we going?” Ginny Weasley walked up to the table, a turkey leg in one hand as she took a bite and sat down next to Hermione. “Ginny Weasley, pleasure.” She nodded to Sarah who nodded back.</p><p>“Sarah Stewart. American woman whose grandfather is trying to murder her.”</p><p>“Godric! Why can’t anyone around here just catch a break from trying to get killed!?”</p><p>Sarah laughed. “I like her. She’s funny.” </p><p>“If you insist on going back, I don’t mind,” Harry started, “However I think it would be best if you-”</p><p><i>”Didn’t go alone…”</i> All three of the women finished the sentence at the same time, respectively looking at their partners.</p><p>“Like Harry would’ve found all the horcruxes without Hermione!” Ginny added in.</p><p>“Ginny got into Slug club simply because Slughorn was fascinated with her impeccable spell work.” Hermione nodded matter of factly.</p><p>“Why do men always think we need them to protect us?” Sarah finished the train of thought and all the women looked at the men. “I’m pretty sure we could easily take you all  if we had to.”</p><p>“<i>You guys? Beat us?</i> You know we’re two aurors and … sorry mate, a former Death Eater. He almost-” Ron ran his thumb across his throat to signal murdered, “Dumbledore. Did you think about that?” Draco sat a little straighter. He never expected that to follow him as something to point out a strength. He hated that fact about himself more than anything.</p><p>“I’m an auror, Hermione is head of magical enforcement and Ginny’s got a turkey leg. Face it, you’re all doomed.” Sarah countered. The table laughed and Sarah smiled at Draco who reached under the table to give her hand a squeeze. He noted to tell her later that one of the things he loved about her was how she could ease his nerves. She probably didn’t even know she was doing it. “Now, as the heir of the Stewart mansion, I will find a way to go back. However, I am willing to have company if anyone would like to join.”</p><p>“Well you already know I’m not letting you go alone.” Draco stated it as a fact.</p><p>Harry looked at Ron and Ron shrugged. “I think Ron and I should go. We’ve never been to the states before. And maybe we’ll find something since we’ve got a different perspective.”</p><p>“As head of Magical Enforcement it would be good for me to examine the site. And meet some people at MACUSA if you’d introduce us, Sarah.” Herminone asked Sarah who nodded. </p><p>That left one person to answer and everyone turned to look at her, and Ginny frowned. “Do you think my turkey leg will survive apparating or is it gonna splice?”</p>
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<a name="section0022"><h2>22. and i walked a thousand miles to prove it</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The golden trio plus Ginny, Sarah, and Draco were meeting up once a week to try and plan exactly what to do about the council. Ada had visited Sarah for her monthly checkup and when Sarah asked about traveling far distances, Ada recommended against it. This got Sarah in a mood for the rest of the day, but Draco promised he would do everything he could to find out information. He had even contacted Redd and Anders. It was no surprise Anders didn’t respond, but Redd was more than willing to be their eyes and ears overseas until they could get there. </p><p>Lucius still snubbed Sarah, but Sarah now blatantly snubbed him back. Draco and Narcissa often sat back and watched as the two argued and made comments under their breath. Draco couldn’t remember the last time his family <i>actually</i> felt like a family, but Sarah had given them a reason to stay together and (at least) tolerate each other. As time went on, Draco didn’t mind dinner in the evenings with her parents, or joining them for tea. He especially loved when Narcissa would tell Sarah stories of when he was younger, things that Draco had rarely ever heard himself.</p><p>One summer evening while the four of them were sitting on the veranda, Sarah jumped slightly and Draco got worried. “What is it?” He was suddenly alarmed and got up, not knowing what else to do.</p><p>“No, it’s fine. Here, hold on.” Sarah grabbed Draco’s hand and held it on her stomach. Draco suddenly felt something hit his hand and he smiled. “I could feel it but never on the outside like this. Damn, this kid has some legs. Narcissa, come feel the baby kick.” </p><p>Draco backed up and Narcissa looked giddy, stepping over to place her hand on Sarah’s stomach. “Well, you’re quite right. That is a strong kick.” When she sat back down, Draco put his hand back on Sarah’s stomach.</p><p>“Do you think it knows who I am?” Draco asked, he didn’t want to sound foolish, but every time he moved his hand, the baby seemed to kick him. </p><p>“We’re together all the time, so I’d think so.” Smiling, Sarah looked up to see Lucius staring at her. But for once, it wasn’t in disdain. “Lucius, would you like to feel the baby kick?” All eyes were on him now and Sarah was waiting for him to laugh and say no, but Lucius stood up and rounded the table. Sarah grabbed his hand and he flinched a little at first but when she pressed his hand to her he eased. When the baby finally kicked, Lucius pulled his hand back quickly but instead of retreating to his seat, he put his hand on Draco’s shoulder.</p><p>“With a kick that strong, there is no doubt that child will carry on the Malfoy name.” No one said anything; there was no need to ruin this moment. When Lucius sat down, Sarah could see Draco’s grin. It seemed like this child would have a proper family after all.</p><p> </p><p>From that first day Draco felt the baby kick, every night in bed he would talk to Sarah’s stomach, or read from his alchemy books out loud to them. Draco had resumed work at the Ministry despite his parents still not understanding why. Sarah was on a part time basis in the Department of Mysteries since they knew the Ministry was mostly safe. Kingsley had offered her a position as an Auror but she declined. Right now her only goal was to stay safe until the baby was born and then maybe she would reconsider. </p><p>Harry and Ron were still responsible for tracking the Council and so far they had no clues on why the hell one of the men who came over from America had Pierce Stewart’s wand. Sarah couldn’t recall much of what happened after her fathers death. Sarah was sure that no one would’ve kept her father’s wand. There would not have been any reason for someone to hold onto it. Sarah gave the Auror team everything she could possibly think of regarding her father. She couldn’t figure out if Maxim had kept her dad’s wand on purpose to manipulate her -- which would be a classic Maxim move -- or if it really was possible that her father was alive. Her own mind betrayed her and told her that it was impossible. She went to his service, she watched his casket be lowered into the ground. But she also knew her grandfather was sick and twisted and extremely calculated. He had things planned decades in advance. </p><p>Sarah’s mind kept spiraling and it was keeping her up at night. Paired with her third trimester, Draco insisted she start taking sleeping potions to help her get some rest. When she wasn’t working she was researching in the gigantic library at the manor -- trying to track her ancestry back to England. She knew that the Stewarts were initially part of the first families to come to America -- there had just never been an opportunity for her to get the family records to see where and how. It kept tugging at her heart that there was a reason their history was so secretive. When she had found out about Gary’s true parentage, so much made sense to her. Sarah knew that when she finally put all the pieces together, the finished puzzle would give her so much needed insight. </p><p>Narcissa had tried her best to distract her during the days she was off of work. She was especially keen on shopping for the baby, and it actually made Sarah feel like she had a mother figure to ask for advice. The nerves of becoming a mother with no experience and not having someone to help was fading. It was clear that Narcissa would be a doting and involved grandmother, and even Lucius had tagged along sometimes with the excuse of “having business” close by, but somehow always wound up in the shops where they were. </p><p>Draco kept her busy at night -- from their nightly reading to intimacy, Sarah was at least glad that he had kept an interest in her while she began waddling around and feeling like an absolute whale of a human being. Draco also thought she was an elderly woman incapable of any simple tasks, as he constantly told her to go rest and Sarah would just roll her eyes and ignore him.<br/>“It’s because I love you.” Draco would say with a foolish grin.</p>
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<a name="section0023"><h2>23. and god knows it's the only way to heal now</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>* child birth~ yay malfoy baby!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was a normal weekday and Draco had used floo powder to enter the manor through one of the countless fireplaces. Today he somehow wound up in the dining room. Curious, he noticed that the table hadn’t been set yet for dinner. He glanced towards the clock and it read half past four -- Narcissa was usually pretty adamant about supper being served at five. The manor was also eerily quiet. No house elves bustling about and cleaning, no sound but the tick tock of the second hand on the clock he had just looked at.</p><p>Draco unbuttoned his jacket and shrugged it off, laying it on the back of a chair as he uncuffed his sleeves and rolled them up. “Mother? Father? Sarah?” As he walked past the entrance of the library, he noticed it was empty. No books had been pulled, it remained as Sarah and he had left it last night. Sarah was off today, so he guessed maybe the lot of them went to Diagon Alley. </p><p>It was eerily silent as Draco got to the staircase and before he could even get a foot on the first step, he saw Lucius Malfoy in a rush, coming down the same stairs. “Draco!” He said it as if he was surprised, but it was clear to Draco that he was in a rush and a bit of a panic.</p><p>Draco’s entire mood fell and he went to climb the stairs as Lucius got to him and grabbed him by the arm towards the hallway. “What is it? What’s wrong? Is Sarah okay?”</p><p>“Draco,” Lucius caught his breath and held his hands on his son's shoulders. “I thought we had more time, I didn’t want this conversation to be like this…”</p><p>“What is it!?” Draco was getting annoyed now. If he didn’t get answers he would start forcing them out of his father.</p><p>“Sarah is fine.” Lucius offered, steadying Draco as he stared into his eyes. “She went into labor around noon.”</p><p>“WHAT!? And you didn’t think it was important to tell me!?” He was pissed and he was literally about to slam his fist into his father’s nose. </p><p>“Draco!” Lucius got stern now, and Draco stopped. He hadn’t been stern with him in years. “I want to tell you about what is going to happen… This is a conversation a father should have with his son. I should’ve done it sooner, but I’ve been...” Draco softened a bit, though getting to Sarah was still at the front of his brain. Lucius was trying to think of what to say. “The day you were born was the happiest day of mine and your mother’s life. I was so proud, so overjoyed at having a son. I was also incredibly stupid. I listened to my father who told me to wait in the drawing room because it’s not common practice for the husband to be in the room. It was agonizing. Your mother was in labor for nearly a day and there were some minor complications. Every time I wanted to go to her... your grandfather... he had his views and I relented and stayed away.”</p><p>Draco stood still, taking in the words of his father. He couldn’t ever remember a time he heard about his own birth. </p><p>“Sarah could be in labor for a while. Childbirth is a lot on a woman. I have never loved or respected your mother more than the day she had you. But my biggest regret was not standing up to my father and not being in that room to be there for her and watch you take your first breath. Be with your wife, Draco. Support her in whatever she needs. Sarah is strong and stubborn and probably will never admit it, but she is going to need you.” Lucius’ head lowered and he brought his hands back to his body. </p><p>Draco put his arms around his father, and Lucius tensed up. “Thank you.” Lucius would never fully know how much he needed to hear that. But Lucius just nodded as Draco climbed the stairs two at a time to get to his room, his wife, and the child they were about to bring into the world.</p><p> </p><p>When he opened the door to his room he was practically out of breath. Sarah was standing by the window, leaned over on the windowsill and humming. “Sarah, fuck. I’m sorry, I would’ve gotten here immediately…” The words just came out of Draco’s mouth without thinking. When she turned around, he could tell she was a mess. She looked paler than normal and her hair was up in a messy bun than her normal braid. Narcissa was sitting in the corner and smiled when she saw Draco.</p><p>“Did your father fill you in?” There was a hint of secrecy in her eyes as Draco just nodded. “Excellent.” She stood and put the book she was reading down. “Ada is just in the guest room across the hall, she will be checking Sarah every hour until the baby arrives. You both know where to find your father and me. But I’ll leave you two alone. How exciting, though. A baby in the manor soon. What a joy to have a new life!” Narcissa looked downright thrilled and walked to Sarah, rubbing her back and whispering into her ear. Sarah threw her arms around her and hugged her tightly. Narcissa and her stayed like that, embraced, for a few minutes. Draco couldn’t even imagine what had happened in the last few hours. </p><p>When Narcissa left, Draco immediately went to Sarah and took her in his arms. “I’m so sorry, love. You should’ve sent an owl. Do you need anything?”</p><p>“The contractions aren’t very close right now. Ada said I could be in labor for days and she recommends I walk around as much as I can. But when they come, god Draco, it hurts so much. My water broke in the bathroom… it was so weird. I feel so dumb, I don’t know anything about this!” She began crying and Draco just rubbed her back.</p><p>“You’re not dumb. I know less than you do, love. We’ll figure it out. I’ll do whatever you need me to, alright?” Sarah just nodded and then winced, pulling away from him as a contraction hit her and she leaned back over with her hands on the windowsill. For all of the pride Draco had felt at the thought of becoming a father, he also now felt so much guilt that he was causing Sarah so much pain too. “I’m going to rub your lower back, yeah? Does that help with the pain?” When she nodded, Draco just stood there, following her instructions. He would be there for every minute of this process.</p><p>	By midnight, Sarah was exhausted and the contractions were more frequent. Ada had checked her around eleven and said she was dilating well and at seven centimeters. Apparently that was a good thing and said she didn’t think it would be too much longer. She had offered Sarah some potions to help with pain but she had refused them all. As her and Draco stood, Sarah’s head in his chest as he rubbed her back and she hummed through the pain all he could do was talk to her.</p><p>	“I don’t want to sound pushy, but maybe you should take the potion so you can rest a bit. You’ve been at this for over twelve hours, love.”</p><p>	“It hurts, but it’s also…” Sarah took a deep breath as her nails dug into Draco’s arms. “I’m feeling. I want to remember how this feels. I don’t make any sense… I don’t know.”</p><p>	“No, you make perfect sense. I hadn’t felt in so long until you came along and tampered with my potions equipment. And now… look at us. Look at this whirlwind we’ve created.” Draco smirked as Sarah looked up at him with a small smile. “Who knew the love of my life and mother of my child would be a mouthy American half muggle who refuses pain relief during childbirth.”</p><p>	Sarah reached for one of his hands and squeezed it, Draco brought it to his face and kissed the back of her hand. “I’m so glad you’re here with me.”</p><p>	“I’m not going anywhere.”</p><p>	She finally gave in around 2am and Ada gave her two potions to help her sleep. Draco was far too on edge to sleep very well, but he managed to get a bit of rest. The sun was just coming up when Sarah woke up with a yell and Draco nearly died of a heart attack. “Get Ada!” She screamed as Draco ran to get her. </p><p>	“There’s a lot of pressure.” Sarah told Ada who examined her as Draco paced near the bed. “I feel like I need to push. Should I push!?” Draco looked paler than normal as he looked at the women. The sun was just coming over the horizon as he squinted to see out the window. How fitting, he thought. A new day brings a new life.</p><p>	“Oh dear. Yes, you’re definitely ready. Hold on. We want to wait until your next contraction and then it’ll be easier. Draco, sweetheart. Husbands usually don’t stay for this part, it’s going to be rather much, perhaps we should call for Narcissa?”</p><p>	Part of Draco told him to run from that room and as far away from Sarah and this baby as possible. That he would inevitably mess them up like he had messed everything else up in his life. But then he remembered his fathers words from the day before and he looked Ada straight in the eyes. “I’m staying with my wife.” Draco said it sternly and Ada just nodded and told him to stand next to her.</p><p>	“Very well. Hold her left knee up then, you’re going to be working too. Be wary of looking… below, dear. Childbirth is not very glamorous.” </p><p>	Draco just swallowed hard and looked at Sarah who looked absolutely done with the entire situation. “Fucking hell… just get this baby out of me.” She breathed and when she started to groan in pain, Ada told her to push.</p><p>	The next twenty minutes were a blur to Draco. He watched in amazement and fear as Sarah cried and yelled but all with the most determination he had ever seen on her face. He was lost in his thoughts when all of a sudden he heard crying and his head snapped to see Ada holding up a baby, <i>their</i> baby, all red and puffy and covered in white stuff that she used her wand to clean off. “Congratulations! You have a beautiful daughter.”</p><p>Ada handed the baby to Sarah, who held her carefully, staring at the tiny little human in her arms. Sarah began crying, cradling the baby to her and looked at Draco. “We have a daughter.” Draco nodded, tears in his own eyes as he leaned down, almost scared to touch her but he ran his hand on the back of the baby.</p><p>“She has my hair color.” He laughed lightly, gently putting a finger on her head. “She’s so small. Merlin, I’m so in love with her. And you. You are amazing.” He leaned down to kiss her softly. </p><p>Narcissa and Lucius came in shortly to see the baby, pride beaming from both of them. “Well, look at that. Father’s hair and mother’s eyes. She’s going to be a proper handful.” Lucius said as he held her and gave a smirk to Sarah and Draco.  “Have you decided on a name?” Sarah and Draco looked at each other and shook their heads.</p><p>“We haven’t even spoken about it. She <i>is</i> going to need a name.” Sarah offered, looking at the sleeping child as Lucius handed her back to Draco. </p><p>The men left while Narcissa helped Sarah in how to nurse the baby, and when she was done eating, Draco came back into the room and got into bed. He took the baby from Sarah and held her, watching her sleep. “I went to the library and browsed through an astronomy book. The Black family -- my mother’s family -- has always named their children after constellations or stars or … I don’t know, something astronomy related. I thought it might be a start.” </p><p>Sarah smiled, her fingers rubbing the baby’s toes. “I honestly have no preference about names. If you want to carry that tradition on, I support it. Did any stick out to you?”</p><p>Draco shifted and pulled a small piece of parchment out of his pants pocket. “I wrote a few down.” He handed it to Sarah who looked it over.</p><p>Sarah cleared her throat and said the first name. “Cordelia. Inner moon of Uranus.” She snickered and Draco looked at her confused. “Anus? Really? You never laughed at that? I’m vetoing this one.”</p><p>“Bloody immature you are, sometimes.” Draco pretended to glare at her, but he couldn’t. He was just too happy.</p><p>“Elara. One of Zeus’ lovers.” Nodding, she kept going. “Not bad. Carina. I love that one, but she isn’t the second brightest star. She’s definitely first. Diana, Roman Goddess of the Moon. Helia, sun in Greek. Rhea, moon of Saturn and Zeus’ mother. Lyra, the harp constellation. Astra, means of the stars.” Sarah looked at Draco. He was focused on the baby, his thumb running over her cheek as she slept. “Tell me your favorite.”</p><p>“Tell me yours first.” He countered, glancing at her with an eyebrow raised.</p><p>“Lyra and Elara.”</p><p>Draco just smiled. “Well then, Lyra Elara Malfoy? I think that’s <i>just</i> pretentious enough to be a Mafoy name but elegant enough that maybe she’ll have her mother’s lightness and immature attitude.” </p><p>“Let’s hope she gets her grandmother’s poise and elegance and her grandfather’s survival instincts. Let’s also hope she gets nothing from my side of the family.” Sarah laughed, shifting her body to lean against Draco’s. “She’s so small and innocent I don’t want anything to ever hurt her.”</p><p>“We won’t let that happen.” Draco reassured her, kissing Sarah’s forehead.</p>
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<a name="section0024"><h2>24. you should see me in a crown</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>*18 + mature content ahead *</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The first few weeks were rough for the new parents. Everything in their lives took a back burner to Lyra. There was so much to learn in order to take care of a newborn. They were both perfectionists and not having precise answers drove them both a little crazy. They always supported one another, though. Sarah, especially, didn’t take her new family for granted. Narcissa and Lucius were always helpful, although Sarah and Lucius still butted heads often. Presents arrived from all sorts of people that Sarah obviously didn’t know. If Draco was being honest, he didn’t know half of them either. He was surprised at the attention, but it also hit him that his parents probably hadn’t said anything about Sarah’s blood status. Her family wasn’t known here, he hoped there wouldn’t really be a reason to question it. </p><p>The biggest surprise for Draco came just at the end of November. They had just finished breakfast and Sarah had finished nursing Lyra on the veranda. The weather was changing fast and they were trying to take advantage of whatever outside time they could get. Draco was reading the Prophet mostly to see if there was any council activity, but Potter had been keeping him informed. There was nothing new and all that did was make Sarah worry more. Apparently both of their senses were blinded when Lyra was with them because all of a sudden a voice came from the direction of the door.</p><p>“I go away for literally… <i>literally</i> ten months to get my fill of lovely women around the world and when I come back I find out not only is Draco Malfoy <i>married</i> but he’s gone and knocked a pretty lady up and is now Daddy Draco.” Blaise Zambini stood leaning against the doorway and Draco put the Prophet down and stood up.</p><p>“You’re a right bastard, you know that?” The two men hugged quickly and Blaise clearly gave Draco the once over.</p><p>“Look at you, mate. You even <i>look</i> like you’re more mature. What about me? How do I look?” Blaise gave an arrogant smile, turning towards Sarah. “It’s a real shame we didn’t get to meet before you and Draco did. You unfortunately got the inferior Slytherin.” Blaise stepped towards Sarah and offered his hand. She went to shake it but he grabbed it, kissing the back. “You must be the lovely Sarah.”</p><p>“Ease up, Zambini. Unless you want those looks of yours to include a black eye.” Draco stood with his arms crossed. </p><p> 	Sarah rolled her eyes and stood up. “It’s nice to meet you, Blaise. Sorry to cut out but I have to put the baby down for a nap. Come back and you can meet her properly.” Blaise smiled as Sarah kissed Draco’s cheek and walked back into the house. The minute she was gone, his entire demeanor changed.</p><p>	“Thank god she left. You’re fucked, Malfoy. Parkinson is <i>here</i> in your house and she had no idea about Sarah or the baby.”</p><p>	Draco looked confused as ever. “Wait, how the fuck does she not know?” The pure blood families spread gossip like wildfire. Draco knew the Parkinson’s were going to be pissed Draco didn’t marry Pansy. </p><p>	“She apparently went on some sort of soul searching crusade over the summer and just got back. Parents are in Morocco for the holidays. You need to get her out of here and quick, you know how she’s going to be when she finds out. I’d love to stay and help,” Blaise looked at the watch on his left hand, “But I’ve got a <i>meeting</i> with a beautiful woman from Spain in fifteen.” Blaise gave Draco a pat on the back and aparrated out of the manor.</p><p>	“Fuck. <i>Fuck.</i>” Draco rushed off of the veranda and to the drawing room. He didn’t want to know what Pansy’s reaction was going to be, and he also didn’t want to know what Sarah’s reaction would be if she saw Pansy. He took a deep breath before he entered the parlor. 	</p><p> </p><p>            Pansy Parkinson was his first girlfriend. His first kiss. His first fuck. His first break up. At one point she had meant a lot to him, but after his sixth year at Hogwarts, the idea of feeling anything for anyone sounded like more trouble than it was worth. He had to give her credit, as the world tried to move on to some form of normalcy, Pansy had tried to be there for Draco. He was the one that shut her out and maybe there was a part of him that still felt bad about that. But he knew that Pansy could have never made him feel even a fraction of what Sarah did. For a man who had once been so cold and calculated without thinking twice, he actually felt bad for having to let Pansy down.</p><p>	When he entered he saw the brunette lingering near some family photos. “Draco!” She beamed, running towards him and throwing her arms around him. “I’ve missed you! It’s so good to see you!” She definitely lingered on that hug as Draco tried to pull away. “Wow! You look so…” Pansy was looking him over, “You look so grown up. How have you been? I just got back from Paris, oh Merlin!  We <i>have</i> to go there some time. It’s gorgeous in the summer.”</p><p>	Draco just gave a weak smile and nodded. “You look… happy.” He offered, not really sure of what else to say. He wanted to just blurt out that he was married but Pansy never let anyone get a word in.</p><p>	“I know! I had to get away from here for a while. You should have come with! I was surprised you came back to the Manor, but then when I thought about it... it made me think maybe you <i>did</i> want to be closer to me. I know after… the battle when we got together those few times you said you didn’t want anything serious but… it’s been some time now.” </p><p>	Pansy stepped forward and her hand reached for Draco’s face. He grabbed her arm to pull it away when he heard her voice. Of course. Right fucking now she had to walk in.</p><p>	“Um, <i>what the fuck is going on here?</i>” Sarah was in the doorway and looked like she was about to explode.</p><p>	“I’m talking to my boyfriend?” Pansy looked at Sarah with venom coming from her eyes. “Not like I have to explain that to you. Who is this, Dracy? New help? Aw, did your parents offer to help an American witch or something?” She laughed at the last statement as Draco took a step back, his head down and he ran his hand over his face.</p><p>	“No, fuck. Pansy. This is my-”</p><p>	“I’m his <i>wife</i> and you can take about five steps back away from him before I come over there and make you.” Sarah stepped into the room further now and got closer to Pansy.</p><p>	“<i>Wife!?</i>” Pansy started hysterically laughing. “For Godric’s sake, Draco. Tell me you haven’t been indulging this poor girl's little fantasy? Sweetheart, Draco has been mine to marry since before you could probably spell your name.” </p><p>	Sarah looked at Draco with her eyebrow raised as Pansy spoke, she initially reached for her wand in her pants pocket, and saw as Pansy reached for her own. “Fucking fuck.” Draco said under his breath but Sarah tossed her wand to the side. For a second Draco actually thought Sarah was going to calmly settle this.</p><p>	“You know what? I don’t need a wand, I’m going to break your snobby, pretentious face with my own hands.” And Pansy raised her wand at Sarah. Again, he cursed under his breath. That was the last time he would give Sarah the benefit of the doubt in a fight. But Draco couldn’t just let this happen in front of him so he disarmed Pansy’s wand and moved forward to pull Sarah back. </p><p>	“Sarah, stop.” Draco knew better than to try and fight her, she’d most likely win if she got a hold of any wand. “Pansy, this is Sarah. Sarah <i>Malfoy</i>. She <i>is</i> my wife.” Sarah eased up and stood next to Draco. The look on Sarah’s face was a clear ‘fuck you’ to Pansy.</p><p>	“You’ve got to be joking!” Pansy looked at Sarah in disgust. “Her? You’d pick <i>her</i> over me?!” </p><p>	“I didn’t <i>pick</i> her over you. Pansy, there has been nothing between us after sixth year. I met Sarah at the Ministry. It was… sudden, but it was right.” Draco grabbed Sarah’s hand, lacing his fingers with hers.</p><p>	“<i>Oh my god…</i> What did you do? A love spell? A potion?” Pansy got up in Sarah’s face now, stepping towards her. “This can’t be real, you’ve brainwashed him or something!”</p><p>	Sarah took a step forward to meet her. “It’s as real as the six week old baby upstairs with platinum blonde hair and gray eyes.” She said it coldly and Pansy stepped back. “I suggest you find another ‘boyfriend’ and get the hell out of <i>our</i> house.”</p><p>	Pansy looked hurt, and she didn’t say anything as she apparrated out of the room. Draco felt a little bad, but mostly he was never so in love with Sarah. When he got jealous he got possessive but he had never imagined that Sarah would get so jealous. He liked it. When Sarah turned to him he just grabbed her face, kissing her hard. Sarah moaned into his kiss, but she pulled away after a minute. </p><p>	“You know, you could’ve stuck up for-” Draco cut her off again with his lips on hers and before she could speak again, he had apparated them into their bedroom. Draco pushed her towards the bed, unbuttoning her pants and feeling under her shirt.</p><p>	When he finally let her mouth go, he looked at her, one hand now grabbing her face. “Lyra is napping?” </p><p>	“Yeah,” Sarah breathed her own hands roaming his body since she couldn’t remember the last time they had been intimate.</p><p>	“Are you… can we?” Draco’s eyes looked at Sarah’s body with a need.</p><p>	Sarah moved her hands to Draco’s pants where she put her hand underneath the waistline and Draco groaned. “Yes, we can.”</p><p>	“Fuck, <i>thank Merlin</i>.” Draco was on her like never before. “Watching you stand up to her, <i>fuck.</i> It did something to me.” All Sarah could do was smirk proudly as Draco kissed down her neck and grabbed her shirt to pull it over her head. He kissed down her stomach, kissing every stretch mark as she moaned. “Have you been taking the potion?” He asked, sliding her pants off of her as Sarah moaned a yes. Draco kissed the inside of her thighs gently as he finally put his mouth right on her clit, his tongue gliding over it as one of his hands slid a finger inside of her.</p><p>
  	“<i>Ohmygod</i>,” Sarah’s moan was low and breathy and she gripped the quilt beneath her. Draco’s arms snaked around her thighs to pull her closer to him. “More.” Draco hummed in pleasure, working another finger inside of her as she squirmed below his mouth. His eyes would dart up to sneak glances at her face, as she bit her lip to try and refrain from making any noise. As he moved his fingers faster her moans grew louder and she eventually threw the back of her arm over her mouth to stay quiet. “I’m gonna come, Draco. Please.” Draco began sucking on her clit as she went over the edge, her legs shaking as he continued through her climax. He kissed back up her stomach before claiming her mouth with his again. Sarah reached down and began stroking him. “After the baby, I didn’t think you’d want to…”
</p><p>
  Draco moaned, kissing down her neck before pulling back to look at her. “What? Why?” Sarah just shrugged, even she couldn’t explain the odd thoughts that popped into her head. “You are so fucking beautiful, don’t you know that?” He whispered, softly kissing her. “You are all I want, Sarah. This body gave me a daughter. It should be worshipped.” Draco’s hands ran down Sarah’s body and he squeezed her hips as she let out a sharp breath before going back up to her breasts. He went to grab them and Sarah stopped him.
</p><p>
  “Not the best idea,” Sarah laughed and Draco looked concerned before he remembered she was nursing and let out a foolish grin. “I do have an idea, though.” Sarah pushed up on her elbows and pushed Draco onto his back. His cock was practically throbbing as he watched his wife settle herself near his cock, her back facing him. She straddled him backwards and reached for his hands, placing them on her lower hips near her ass. “You can grip and squeeze here all you’d like.” Sarah glanced back with a smirk and Draco cursed under his breath as she positioned herself above him and slid down.
</p><p>
 	“<i>What the fuck did I do to deserve you?</i>” Draco moaned as Sarah began moving her hips. “Fuck, I missed this. Missed being inside of you.” His hands dug into her hips as she moved faster on him. “This is so hot, watching me slide in and out of you, <i>fuuuuuck.</i>” He moaned as he almost slipped out of her before she slammed her hips down. “Let me fuck you so you can come again.” But he kept gripping her hips.
</p><p>
  	Sarah just shook her head in between her moans. “God, you feel so good.” Instead she put her own hand on her clit and began rubbing herself as she moved. “You’re so fucking hard, Draco.” She breathed out, moving her hips faster. She didn’t care if she came again or not, hearing Draco squirm under her was enough pleasure for her as he tried to figure out what to do while she was in control.
</p><p>
  	Eventually the only noise was their breathing and the sound of Sarah’s body meeting Draco’s. All he could do was hold onto her hips as she moved but he knew he was close. “I’m gonna come,” he warned her and Sarah slowed, moving her hips deliberately slower as he moaned. “Fuck, that’s it. <i>Fuck,</i>” Draco grabbed her hips hard and pulled her down on him, not letting her move as he released inside of her. She kept her hips met with his as she felt him pulsate inside of her. When she got up, she grabbed a towel to clean them both off before crawling back into bed with him. Draco looked like someone had just brought him back to life. “You’re so amazing.” He growled, grabbing her to kiss him roughly. 
</p><p>
  	“If you even so much as <i>think</i> about Pansy Parkinson, you remember that.” Sarah smirked, leaning down to kiss Draco again.
</p><p>
  	“Love, she doesn’t compare at all.” Draco smiled against her lips, pulling her so she was laying on him. “You better keep taking those potions Ada gave you, otherwise I’ll have you pregnant again in no time.” He gave a wicked grin and Sarah rolled her eyes. 
</p><p>
  	“Speaking of, I’m surprised she slept through that.” Sarah raised her head to peek over into the bassinet where Lyra was still sleeping.
</p><p>
  	“She must’ve known Mummy and Daddy needed some time to themselves. It beats my father walking in right after.” Draco mumbled the last part and used his hand to brush some of Sarah’s curls away from her face. “Yule is coming up you know.” 
</p><p>
  	Raising an eyebrow, Sarah made herself comfortable on Draco’s chest, her head sitting in her hands. “Yeah, are we counting last Yule as our first date?” She smiled. “Or do you want to know what I want for a present? I’m pretty sure you naked under a fireplace with <i>just</i> a bow covering your manly parts is somewhere up there on my list…” Draco laughed.
</p><p>
  	“I was actually going to ask if you wanted to move into our own place? My father was telling me yesterday that the protection spells expand over the whole property. There’s a smaller, four bedroom house on the south side of the property that’s not in use. I asked if we could have it. Well, I more so demanded we take it since once Lucius goes it’s mine anyway.” Draco was pretending to act cold hearted but Sarah saw right through it.
</p><p>
  	“Just you, Lyra and me?” 
</p><p>
  	“Just us. Our family. I thought maybe we could spend our first Yule <i>together,</i> together there. Because last Yule definitely doesn’t count as our first date. I would’ve counted the bar night but you rejected me rather harshly if I remember…” Draco teased her and kissed the back of one of Sarah’s hands. “But I also thought about it because it’s next to a huge rose garden and has plenty of space for a kitchen garden in the back.” Sarah leaned forward, kissing Draco again. 
</p><p>
  	“God, Draco. You know how gardening gets me all excited. Are you trying to seduce me again!?” Sarah smiled playfully and kissed him again. “I guess our first date is dinner at the mansion?” Draco shook his head again. “What do you consider our first date, then?”
</p><p>
             Draco thought about it and shrugged. “We haven’t had a proper date, I don’t think. To me a date is taking you out to an overpriced, fancy restaurant while I buy your affection and charm you in order to get you to come home with me. And look! All I had to do was let you meet my ex girlfriend and try and help you take down your insane grandfather.” Draco beamed as Sarah just continued to roll her eyes at his teasing. 
</p><p>
             Lyra began to make noises in her bassinet and both of them looked over at her. “I don’t regret any of it.” Sarah said it softly, turning back to kiss Draco again.
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0025"><h2>25. as you steal my soul from me</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sarah knew that when Draco said the house on the south side of the property was “only” four bedrooms she shouldn’t have gotten her hopes up for something similar to her cottage; and the first time they took a walk down the long gravel road and her eyes fell on the house she knew she should not have expected anything but a mini version of the manor. The house <i>was</i> beautiful, but still much larger than she was used to. Her and Draco pushed Lyra in her pram (or stroller as Sarah insisted; her and Draco argued over it constantly) and when they opened the door to the house, Draco was surprised to see Teely, the house elf, inside sweeping and dusting with her magic.</p><p>“Teely! What are you doing here?” Draco had never admitted it, but Teely was his favorite house elf and had always stuck up for her and praised her whenever his father was being a total prick.</p><p>“Master Lucius has given Teely to Master Draco,” She said it with a nod. Sarah frowned, and Draco knew how she felt about the whole house elf situation. She thought it was weird, though admittedly she always thought Narcissa and Draco treated them very well. It was Lucius that usually got snarky and demanding.</p><p>Draco took a deep breath and pulled his gloves off of his hands and ran them through his hair. “Teely, you’ve been with me since I was born, right?” Teely nodded with a sense of pride. </p><p>“I remember when you looked like Lady Lyra, with the scrunched up face. Master Draco cried and cried and cried and would only be quiet for music. One day Lady Narcissa brought the paper cranes to Master Draco. I made the paper cranes fly in the sky above Master Draco and Master Draco would quiet. Master Draco has always been kind.” Teely smiled and Draco had one of the most genuine smiles Sarah had ever seen on his face before.</p><p>“I still have those paper cranes in my desk, you know.”</p><p>“I will get them for Master-”</p><p>“No! Teely, wait. No, I don’t need them right now. I have a proposition for you, instead.” Draco moved towards the sitting area and shrugged his coat off. Before he put it on the chair he reached into his pocket and retrieved one of the gloves he had taken off. “Teely, I want you to take my glove.”</p><p>“No! Master Draco fires me!” Teely suddenly looked destroyed and her bottom lip started to quiver.</p><p>“Teely! No! Not fired, not… exactly. I want you to be free. I want you to <i>choose</i> to work for me and Lady Sarah and Lady Lyra. I want to pay you to stay with us and help us. And I hope you say yes, because... I’m not sure we know all the paper crane tricks if we can’t get Lady Lyra to stop crying.” </p><p>“Oh yes I will teach the paper cranes trick! Yes!” Teely nodded, turning to leave the room.</p><p>“Teely, take the glove. And please call me Draco. And choose a spare bedroom to live in. You’re apart of this family, too.” Teely turned to Draco with another tremble in her lip.</p><p>“Master Draco is too kind to me!!”</p><p>“I just want to do what’s right, Teely. You’ve always done right by me even when I didn’t deserve it.”</p><p> </p><p>“And now I’m going to tell you about the time Daddy broke Harry Potter’s nose because he was eavesdropping where he shouldn’t have been.” Draco smiled and said the previous sentence in a light hearted tone as Lyra sat in the crease of his legs. His knees were up and the baby was situated there as he spoke to her. “Potter was hiding in the luggage rack, listening to myself and a few friends on the train ride to Hogwarts in our sixth year. When we arrived, I waited behind and did a full body bind curse on him. And then I stomped on his nose and broke it, put his bloody invisibility cloak over him and hoped no one would find him until he got back to London. Of course my cousin was tasked with making sure he got to Hogwarts and she found him.” Draco rolled his eyes, Lyra gripping his finger with her hand. “You’ve got a strong grip. Is this going to be your wand hand? Can you say <i>lumos</i>? No? What about <i>nox</i>? Oh, I think I heard it.” Draco was beaming.</p><p>“You should tell her about how he almost had you bleeding to death in the bathroom later in the year.” Sarah pointed out, scrunching her wet hair up to her scalp as she moved near the bed where Draco and Lyra were. “And that’s called consequence, my sweet girl.” Draco gave her a side eye look and scoffed. </p><p>“Potter didn’t even know what the curse did. He shouldn’t have used it.”</p><p>“You shouldn’t have stomped on his face.”</p><p>“Maybe not, but it felt pretty bloody good.” </p><p>“Is this before or after the dark mark on your arm?” Sarah asked with a snarkiness in her voice as he turned his head to look at her.</p><p>“Alright, alright. Your mum is right. I made some bad choices. Don’t stomp on people’s faces, okay? Can you promise me that? Should we do an unbreakable vow just to be safe?” Draco smirked at Sarah. When Sarah didn’t answer back, Draco just gave a pleased smile. “That’s what I thought. Don’t worry, you’ll be the top witch in your year. Between your mum and me you will know so much. I can teach you about the dark arts, and your mum… well, <i>she can teach you about herbs</i>.” Draco whispered the last part even though Sarah could clearly hear him from where she now was in the bathroom. </p><p>“I’m going to kick your ass, Malfoy, I swear.” </p><p>Draco just shook his head like Lyra could understand what he was saying. “Idle threats, your mum can’t resist me.”</p><p>Sarah walked out of the bathroom now fully dressed in pajamas. She slid into the bed next to Draco and Lyra. “I guess now would be as good of a time to tell you that I invited Harry, Ginny, Ron, Hermione, Blaise <i>and</i> Pansy over for dinner on Saturday, then.”</p><p>Draco turned to Sarah with a horrified face. “<i>You what?!</i>”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Draco knew that Sarah and Ginny had hit it off since their first meeting in Diagon Alley. Out of all of the people associated with Harry Potter, Draco actually liked Ginny the most. She had guts and wasn’t afraid of backing up what she said. It didn’t surprise him at all that Sarah and her became friends very easily. While him and Sarah had been seeing the “golden trio” often enough leading up to Lyra’s birth, it was mostly for business with the council. Very little had been spoken about their personal lives, but if Draco thought about it, Sarah probably wanted people to interact with other than himself and his family. He’d thought maybe Blaise and Pansy would’ve been suitable, but he had sort of fucked up the Pansy situation and there was no way in hell he would leave Sarah alone with Blaise and his playboy ways. </p><p>It took him a few days to come to terms with the fact that Sarah invited 3 people he spent his entire childhood bullying into their home for dinner. Sarah knew a lot of the events that occured between himself and Potter, but not all of them. He thought that maybe if he spoke about it, then he would feel differently. The night before the dinner, he was helping Sarah put decorations up. Draco never knew how much Sarah <i>really</i> loved Yule and Christmas. In the two weeks they had been in the house, she had pretty much reorganized every room. “Why do we need two living rooms!?” She had asked, clearly not knowing the difference between a living room and a drawing room. Instead, she and Draco cleared one of the rooms out and she insisted on using it for books, cauldrons, and her slight obsession with plants. </p><p>Draco often thought of her cottage, which he knew she missed. He’d never admit it, but he missed it too. It was why he didn’t argue when she wanted to lighten the wall colors or change the curtains in Lyra’s room to let more sun in. There were a lot of muggle things she wanted to do as well, that he just didn’t understand, but interested him. At one point, Sarah looked embarrassed to approach Draco to ask him to buy something. She’d had her own money, but it was still in the states and she wasn’t even sure how to begin that process without her location being known. </p><p>“Sarah.” Draco looked at her with a funny smirk on his face. “I hate to be the one to tell you this, since clearly you don’t remember. But, we are married. That happened. It’s one hundred percent legal with the Ministry. We even had your name changed.”</p><p>Sarah looked at him like she was confused. “Yeah, I know. Last I checked I was there.” </p><p>“So then why do you keep asking me to buy stuff for you? You’re my wife, you have access to our Gringott’s vault. You can actually just charge purchases to the account.”</p><p>Sarah stayed silent for a minute, mostly because she didn’t even take that into account. It made sense that she would have access since they were married. “Okay, that’s true. But… also, I don’t know how much is in there and like, is there a budget? How much does it cost to upkeep this place? Food? Clothing? Do you keep a ledger?”</p><p>Draco pursed his lips and moved forwards towards Sarah. He put his hands on her hips and looked down at her. “My love, did you know that when I was seven, my parents began teaching me all of my ancestors? At least, up until we can’t find records. I learned that they invested a lot into properties all across Britain.”</p><p>“No? What does that have to do with money now?”</p><p>“Sarah, my family is… wealthy.”</p><p>“I <i>know</i> that! Look at the freakin’ Manor they live in. Look at <i>this</i> house.”</p><p>Draco laughed softly, shaking his head. “I am the only heir. Well, Lyra is now. But we will never have to worry about finances. Ever. As in… as long as we are alive. If we don’t want to work another day, we wouldn’t have to. I thought maybe my father would be mad about us being married and worried for a while he’d write me off… but whatever you want, so long as it’s able to be purchased with currency, is yours.”</p><p>Sarah stayed silent for a second, just looking at Draco. The Stewart’s were well-off, she knew that. But she had never relied on getting any sort of inheritance from that, knowing how her grandfather felt. But hearing that the Malfloys were <i>that</i> rich had actually taken her by surprise a bit. She had thought maybe they were putting on appearances, but it made sense why they had the best of the best and definitely had the arrogance to back it. “So if I wanted to buy a Porche, I could?”</p><p>“No idea what that is, but most likely yes.”</p><p>“What about eighty seven chickens?”</p><p>“I don’t know why you’d want that many, but yes.”</p><p>Sarah kept thinking, all the while it was clear Draco was narrowing his eyes waiting for her to come up with something else. “What about a red, lacy push up bra with matching panties?”</p><p>A wicked smirk crossed Draco’s face and he pulled Sarah closer to him. “Of course, but given that money is no issue here, you should probably get a few just in case your husband rips it off of you. I’d hate to see you not have something for back-up.” His hands ran along her sides to her back side where he gave a firm grip.</p><p>“Easy, Malfoy. We’re not done decorating.” Draco groaned, squeezing again out of frustration. “Maybe tonight you’ll get a reward for being so cooperative and patient.” Sarah smirked, stepping away from him as he raised an eyebrow.</p><p>“Oh? Didn’t I ever tell you I <i>love</i> decorating? One of my favorite things to do in my spare time, really.” Shaking her head with a laugh she looked over at his shit eating grin and felt that familiar knot in her stomach. Sometimes she wondered how she could love him so much, and how she fell for him in such a short amount of time. But times like this, when it was the two of them and there was no pressure from anyone else was a wonderful reminder. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Sarah and Draco laid in bed with her head on his chest as he twirled her curls in his hand. She idly turned the large, obnoxious Slytherin ring he wore constantly. Admittedly, she had a ring from Ilvermorny but it was still at her cottage in Massachusetts. She missed her cottage. She missed her things. She wanted Lyra to see the places she grew up in, to see the little cottage her no-maj grandmother had raised her in after her parents died. </p><p>Draco could see she was in another place mentally and held her tighter. “What are you thinking about?” </p><p>Sarah only sighed and buried her head in Draco’s neck. “I miss my home. Not as though I don’t love it here, but I still feel like I’m standing outside of this box, looking in on this life. I never imagined this was how my early twenties would go.”</p><p>He could relate to that feeling. It was eerie how normal everything felt since they had come back to England. Like the place he left maybe hadn’t been as broken as he thought. “We’re going to figure it out. I assure you I never thought my life would be like this, either.”</p><p>“I’m also worried about Maxim. The longer he goes without making a move, the more paranoid I get for when it does happen.”</p><p>Draco didn’t say anything; he knew that he probably should’ve comforted her, or reassured her that her thoughts weren’t true. But he couldn’t say that, he knew that Maxim was probably looking for them, or had already found them and was just waiting for the opportune moment. They fell asleep, heads full of worry, but peaceful in the arms of each other.</p><p>	Sarah woke up early on the day of the dinner. Lyra was on Draco’s chest and they were both passed out. She kissed both of their foreheads and made her way down to the kitchen. Coffee cup in hand, she stood in front of one of the windows that faced the front of the property and squinted her eyes. There was a man standing at the iron gate. It was like he was looking right at Sarah. </p><p>“Teely?” The house elf appeared next to Sarah, eager to follow any directions given to her. “Have you seen that man before? Standing by the gate?”</p><p>“Yes, yes. Teely has. The man has been there every morning since Master Draco and Lady Sarah and Lady Lyra moved to the small house. He cannot come on the property. No, no.”</p><p>“Thank you, Teely. Can you please not tell Draco about this? I’d like him to not have to worry about anything since we have dinner tonight.” </p><p>Sarah continued to stare at the man. The uneasiness she felt was because it was her father, Pierce Stewart, who was supposed to be dead.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0026"><h2>26. it's a shot in the dark, aimed right at my throat</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sarah acted completely normal for the rest of the day, and her father was gone by the time Draco had woken up and Lyra began crying for milk. Their day was normal, except Sarah was actually excited for everyone to come for dinner. Draco looked nervous, but as evening fell and he put on a black suit, slicked his hair back and shaved, he felt better. </p><p>He entered their bathroom to find Sarah pinning her hair up and wearing a dark blue jumpsuit. She had silver earrings on that caught his eye between the loose curls she deliberately left down. What had his attention, though, was her chest. Sarah caught his staring in the mirror and turned around. “You behave yourself, Malfoy.”</p><p>“Thank Merlin for magic, because I have no idea where to start to get that thing off of you later,” Draco grinned.</p><p>“Thank your family for being flithy rich, because I would’ve never been able to afford this.” Sarah countered, giving Draco a peck on the lips before they went downstairs.</p><p> </p><p>The dynamic was a little awkward at first when everyone arrived; especially because of Blaise and Pansy. Draco knew as soon as dinner was over the two of them would likely make up an excuse to cut out early and maybe it would be more relaxed. And just as he had called it, the two apparated shortly before dessert. The remaining couples sat in the living room, Sarah giving Ginny and Hermione a tour. All three of them gushing about how big and ostentatious everything was. Sarah was more than proud to show off some of her remodeling.</p><p>This left the men to sit and drink. Draco wasn’t even that nervous to be left alone with Potter and Weasley anymore. He’d learned over the last few months that they had a lot more in common than he thought. Ron complained about Hermione constantly getting on his back about tidying up, and possibly taking the NEWTs. Harry mentioned that he was going to propose to Ginny on Christmas. Draco bragged about Lyra, hardly believing that he was a father. The three of them sat in silence for a few minutes, taking it all in.</p><p>“I can’t wait to have kids,” Harry confessed. “Get married, be a dad… all of it. I just can’t believe Malfoy is the first one to do it.” </p><p>Draco laughed, nodding his head. “Definitely had Weasley pinned for the one with a gang of children.” </p><p>“No way,” Ron countered, “Growing up with all my brothers… I’d never wish that on my kids. You couldn’t walk into a room without fear of being scared to death.”</p><p>“I know the ladies said no business, but I can’t help but feel like Sarah is constantly looking over her shoulder. Any news on that front?”</p><p>“We’ve got a few tips on Americans coming in through Scotland without papers. Once we’re back from holiday, we’re going to check it out. You’re welcome to join.” Harry offered and Draco gave a firm nod. Both himself and Sarah were fed up with being sitting ducks, and he knew Sarah was ready to unleash hell on her grandfather. He just needed her to be smart about it.</p><p>When the women came back in, all the men looked like they were happier, and their moods lifted. Teely brought dessert in and they ate on the sofas, it looked like their guests worried about making a mess. The night went well, though. Sarah and Draco actually felt like humans again instead of having to hide out in the house or the manor. </p><p> </p><p>That night, Sarah couldn’t sleep. She was waiting for day break. She was up before the sun and perched at the spot in the window. As the sun came up, she could spot the outline of the man. She took a breath, grabbing her coat and began the long walk down to the iron gate. Her wand was clutched firmly to her palm as she trudged down the muddy path. She stopped, about five feet from the gate. Expressionless, she examined the man before her. It was her father; just older looking. Tired looking.</p><p>“You seem to have made a good life for yourself.” The man spoke. His voice. It was her father’s voice. But was it her father? “Ironically marrying a pureblood enthusiast after all Maxim did to us.”</p><p>“He is not a pureblood enthusiast.” Sarah challenged. “Which should be clear by his half no-maj wife.”</p><p>The man put his hands in his pockets, casually. “I heard you became an Auror. Your sisters left, which doesn’t surprise me. They didn’t handle your mother’s death well.”</p><p>Sarah eyed him, the sun coming up now to the left of them. “I don’t believe you are my father. I saw my father hanging from a rope in our back shed.”</p><p>Sadness fell on the man’s face and he nodded. “But you believe in magic. You know magic. I had to get away or Maxim was going to ruin me.”</p><p>“How do I know you’re not Maxim? Or Gary? Or any of the other morons that blindly follow him?”</p><p>The man put his hand to the stubble on his chin. He was graying, it was faintly noticeable in the emerging sun, the strands caught in his golden hair. “Because out of all of my daughters… I knew that you, Sarah Claire, so strong like your mother would be the one to avenge us The minute Maxim told me that he had killed your mom, and wanted me to remarry, I knew I couldn’t go through with it. If I did it, if I became what he wanted me to, what example would that set for you? No.” She man shook his head and looked at Sarah. “If I allowed myself to go that low, I would have showed you that it was okay to surrender. I decided I’d rather die, and not be in your life at all, than to watch you think it was okay to accept defeat.”</p><p>Sarah’s eyes began to water; she knew that this was her father. She had felt it when she first saw the man from the window, but god. She didn’t know. She couldn’t trust <i>anyone</i> now. “Teely,” she said it barely in a whisper and the house elf appeared next to her. “Please escort Pierce Stewart into the house. If he tries anything you are to subdue him, do I have your word?” The house elf nodded and Sarah turned to walk back in the house. “Pierce, if you try to hurt me, my husband, or my child,” Pierce’s eyed widened at the word child, as if he hadn’t known about Lyra. “I will kill you. And no one will ever know that you really didn’t die that evening in the shed.”</p><p> </p><p>Sarah hurried upstairs to their bedroom, shaking Draco. “Draco! You need to wake up. Draco!” He rubbed his eyes and sat up.</p><p>“Is Lyra okay? Are you alright?” He was only mildly startled.</p><p>“I need you to come downstairs. Get dressed. Bring your wand.” </p><p>“<i>What?</i> Sarah, what is going on?” Slowly, he began to get his body out of bed and reached for a shirt.</p><p>“My father is downstairs.” Sarah said it with hesitance and Draco shot up.</p><p>“The bloody hell do you mean your father is here!? Sarah! What did he just walk up and ring the doorbell!?”</p><p>“Sort of. It’s him, Draco. I know it. I’m sending Teely and Lyra to your parents. Teely’s watching him until I get back down there. Don’t let Lyra out of your sight until Teely takes her.”</p><p>Draco used his wand to finish getting dressed and grabbed Lyra out of her bassinet with his wand in one hand. “If he so much as touches a hair on your head…”<br/>“Draco, it’s okay. He was never a good dualist.”</p><p>“He’s had eight years to practice, Sarah.” He didn’t trust this man at all, but he motioned for Sarah to go downstairs. He wanted to make sure before anything that Lyra was safe.</p><p>Sarah peered at Pierce and Teely in the living room. Pierce was looking around, in a lot of wonder at his surroundings. His daughter had come a long way. Across an entire ocean and married a very wealthy man. She had a child… which made him a grandfather. He thought about watching his own father with his daughters, laughing and playing, showing them magic when they were young. Pierce thought that Maxim had finally grown to accept his beautiful, no-maj wife. Rebecca was lovely, and one of the most caring, selfless people he had ever known. When she was taken from him, he had considered going through with his act for real. Pierce liked to believe that when he was to take his last breath, Rebecca would be the first face he saw.</p><p>He turned around when he saw Sarah remerge in the room with a tall, broad shouldered man next to her. By the protective look in his eye, and the menacing glare on his face, Pierce assumed this was Sarah’s husband. He looked troubled; or was it that he wasn’t <i>afraid</i> of being troubled. He was handsome in the most sensible way; platinum hair and light eyes. A well defined jaw and he filled out his suit nicely. </p><p>Sarah looked wrong next to him; her curly hair wild and all over the place. She had on a simple black long sleeved shirt with denim overalls and worn out sneakers. Freckles all over her face and a lightness that she always had. But when he glanced between the two, he could also see the balance. Just like himself and Rebecca, he could see how Sarah brought out his lightness. Snuffed out his worries, loved him regardless of his past discretions.</p><p>“Thank you for inviting me into your home.” Pierce spoke softly. He stood in the same place, he could see the other man was on the defensive. Pierce hadn’t even noticed the house elf that had been babysitting him was gone. “I’m sorry… Sarah, did you say you have a <i>child?</i>?”</p><p>Sarah moved to speak, but Draco took a step forward. “My name is Draco Malfoy. I am Sarah’s husband.” He held a hand out for Pierce to shake and Pierce looked nervous. “I know you’re no threat right now, I know the person who has your wand.” It took a second, but Pierce shook Draco’s hand.</p><p>A cracking noise came from the hall and before Sarah even knew what was going on, Lucius Malfoy was strolling into the room. “Sarah,” He nodded, his eyes moving towards Draco and Pierce. “I heard we have a rather distinguished guest. Lyra is with Narcissa, she is going to her sister’s. They will be safe.” Sarah believed him, because he knew Lucius would never let anything happen to Lyra.</p><p>Sarah stepped forward this time, waving Lucius to come forward. “Dad, this is Lucius. Draco’s father. He owns the house and all of the property.”</p><p>“Charmed,” Lucius sneered, his head pointed up as he eyed the man in front of him. “You look awfully well for a dead man.” Sarah rolled her eyes.</p><p>“Okay, we don’t need to continue to bully him. He couldn’t take all three of us on without a wand?” Sarah had always been the blunt one, to break through the formalities and intimidating tactics. “But you need to explain what the hell you’re doing here. <i>And where</i> you have been for the last eight years.”</p><p>Pierce sighed and ran his hands through his hair. “Can I at least sit? It’s… a very long story.”</p><p>Sarah nodded and motioned to an arm chair and she sat across from him. Draco sat down right next to her, his hand going on her thigh until she grabbed his hand. Lucius sat on the sofa right next to the chair Pierce was on and smiled. “Tibsy!” He called, a house elf appearing before him. “Please keep a check on Lady Narcissa and fetch us some refreshments. Mr. Stewart looks like he could use some tea and food.” </p><p>“What… the hell are those things? There’s multiple of them!?” Pierce looked very confused and overwhelmed. </p><p>“They’re house elves. Quite common over here. Servants of the house…”<br/>“<br/>We pay ours,” Draco interrupted. “There’s been lot of progressive changes as of late around the country.”</p><p>“I don’t give a fuck about house elves right now, where the HELL HAVE YOU BEEN?” Sarah was getting annoyed now, as her supposed dead father was sitting on the sofa in the home she was supposed to be safe in.</p><p>All three of the men looked at her, Draco reached to sit her back down and she took a deep breath.</p><p>“You have every right to be mad, Sarah.” Pierce began, his head now hanging down. “Redd Ambrose was always a close family friend. He was the one who found out about your mother and told me who was really behind it. As I’m sure he is the one who told you when he thought you were old enough. I couldn’t handle the information… how would you feel if I had killed Draco? How could he have done that!?”</p><p>It was clear Pierce had felt some sort of betrayal from Maxim, but Sarah hadn’t been shocked at the revelation. It made sense, given Maxim’s history and ruthless attitude. “Redd also told me about your grandfather’s plan to have me remarry and have more children. I probably could have handled the marriage. But he wanted me to have more children… that told me that you and your sisters would be made the next target. Replacement, pureblooded kids to carry the Stewart name. I had to get out of it to keep you girls safe. Once I was dead I knew Maxim wouldn’t care about what happened to you.”</p><p>“I researched the potions I would need, the charms I would need. You know I’ve never been particularly skilled at magic, I think that’s why Maxim was so mad I married a no-maj, he was worried our magic would weaken.” Pierce swallowed hard, running his hands through his hair. “I managed to fake my death, pay off the coroner to swap a body for mine that luckily I was able to charm long enough to pass as me… and I went into hiding. First I tried to find your sisters, I thought maybe I would be able to convince them to come back, but they both don’t use magic at all. If I turned up alive, all it would do would ruin the life they’ve set up for themselves. I traveled a bit, learned a lot. And then I heard that Maxim was rebuilding.”</p><p>“I kept up on everything that happened here, with that dark wizard you guys had trouble with. No doubt that only lit a fire under Maxim’s ass to spit some pureblood nonsense. And then I found out you had gotten into your grandfather’s good graces. The Stewart heir returned to claim the throne to the legacy.”</p><p>“I won’t lie, I stayed close to you for the last few years. I was worried you had actually fallen for his propoganda. But I saw you working for MACUSA and I knew… I knew you wouldn’t actually believe Maxim’s shit. When Draco entered the picture, I got concerned. It was easy enough to find information on him when I dug hard enough… and then when the mansion burned down I couldn’t find you. Naturally, I followed the lead that led to Draco. However, Gary was already ahead of me there.” Pierce just sighed. “I didn’t know what to do.”</p><p>Sarah picked her head up. “I stayed here mostly because I was worried about the baby. We have a daughter. She was born on October 30th, her name is Lyra.”</p><p>Pierce looked up, nodding with tears in his eyes. “I would… I would love to meet her some time.”</p><p>“You saw Rachel and Iris?” Sarah hadn’t seen or heard from her sisters since right after her dad’s apparent death. She’d long felt abandoned from it.</p><p>“Yeah,” Pierce shook his head. “Yeah… Rachel is a school teacher and has three kids. Iris just got married, I believe. Her husband is in the navy so she doesn’t work.”</p><p>“They’ve never reached out to me.”</p><p>“I’m sorry, Sarah. I meant to tell you sooner but when I found out you were willingly going to the mansion and supporting the council, I couldn’t risk it.” Pierce looked at her, desperate for some sort of forgiveness.</p><p>Sarah looked at him intently, sitting forward in her seat now. “We are working with the Ministry to find out information on the council. If you’re sincere, you will willingly go there and turn yourself in. You will ask for Harry Potter, head auror. You will agree to any sort of interrogation they want. If there is even a hint of hesitance, I promise you will never be able to find me again. I am not the twelve year old girl you left, Pierce. I’ve been through hell, and by the grace of whatever power is out there I have found a life I actually want to live. If you threaten that life, you will see how much like Maxim I can be.”</p><p>Draco and Lucius even looked concerned as Pierce nodded. “I’ll walk you out.” Sarah added, standing up and Pierce followed her. The two of them made their way to the door and Draco looked at his father.</p><p>“What do we know?” Lucius was in full investigation mode now, and Draco knew he would use every resource he could to dig up information on the supposed Pierce Stewart.</p><p>“Died when Sarah was twelve. Potter’s got his wand, apparently when he came into the country he tried to do it as legally as possible, but escaped the holding rooms. There was another man with him. Sarah swears she saw him get buried and his wand was with him.” Draco crossed his arms, letting his eyes glance out the window to make sure Sarah was okay.</p><p>“It’s easy enough to charm something to look like a wand. A whole body, though?”</p><p>“Sarah has said a lot that he wasn’t exactly a gifted wizard. Being from such an elite pureblood family, she said he wasn’t interested in magic. She wanted to learn when she was young and she remembers Maxim and Pierce fighting over whether or not her sisters and her would go to Ilvermorny.”</p><p>“A lot of tension with his father, it could be true he wants to help take Maxim down.” Lucius was thinking, trying to wrap his brain around the situation. “But why wait so long to come forward? Sarah has, as you said, been an exceptional witch since her schooldays. Did he not think she was capable of protecting him? There has to be another reason why now is the time he chose to reveal himself. You’ve both been here since summer. Every witch and wizard in England knows about Malfoy Manor. It’d be easy enough to find us.”</p><p>Draco thought about that too. “The only difference in Lyra. He could have easily showed up when Sarah was pregnant. Or right after she was born, but that would have been more suspicious.”</p><p>“Lyra is a connection to a prestigious pureblood family. A link to some of the most notable ones in Europe.” Lucius offered, stroking his chin with his fingers. </p><p>“A better replacement for a half blood child who betrayed her grandfather.”</p><p>“He is leaving his options open,” Sarah interrupted the two men, standing at the doorway. “He either needs Maxim eliminated so he can live freely again, or he needs to offer him something so precious he will have no choice but to forgive him.”</p><p>Both men nodded their heads. “Why pick a side when you can wait patiently to weigh out which one will win.” Lucius grinned, mostly because the Malfoy’s had found themselves in a similar position not too long before. “But we don’t know for sure that Maxim, or the Council, has tried to set up roots here.”</p><p>“I don’t believe they will, they know that with Voldemort’s recent chaos we are on high alert. If anyone is here, it’s for Sara.”</p><p>“Or Lyra.”</p><p>“Both of which will not be leaving involuntarily,” Draco added, his face becoming much more serious. “What do you think, Sarah?”</p><p>Sarah was lost in her own thoughts, her mind only snapping back at the mention of her name. “I think it’s time I go home.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0027"><h2>27. 'cause looking for heaven found the devil in me</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>* warning 18+ content! *</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <i>Lyra,</i>
</p><p>
  <i>	If you read this, I want you to know that the decision I made I thought was right. Neither of your grandfather’s will admit it, but they are sorry for the burden they have made myself and your father carry. My biggest dream before you came along was to see those burdens gone. The choice I am making right now is what I believe is my greatest chance to fulfil that.<br/>

I won’t allow your father to come with me, if this is truly my time. I will use whatever power I have left to make sure that he is safe and comes home to you. He has fought enough battles in his life, and it wasn’t fair for me to bring him into my own war. He shouldn’t have to stand by my side and risk everything for me, but I also know why he does.<br/>

Please understand that there are some people who think your father is a monster. And yes, he has done terrible things. Draco Malfoy is a mix of things, but a monster isn’t one of them. He has loved me fiercely and without reservation despite all of the turmoil I brought him. I have only ever felt truly safe in his arms. That love and that safety gave us the best possible gift we could have asked for.<br/>

You.<br/>

Live your life to the fullest, no matter what the cost. Travel, fall in love, eat exotic foods and stay up late into the night dreaming of what the future holds. Do not let the decisions of those who came before you hold you back, or make you think you are destined to complete their aspirations. You are not me, Lyra. You are not your father. You are not obligated to hold onto the sadness and rage we hold within. My only wish for you, if I am truly gone, is for you to be free.<br/>

Break the chains of history, my sweet girl. Start anew.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>With all the love in my heart,<br/>
Your Mom</i>
</p><p> </p><p>Sarah folded the parchment and slipped the envelope into a small box she kept in her night stand. It was jus full of little things she had collected since being in England. There wasn’t much there, but she knew someone would find it if they needed to.</p><p>She had begged Draco to stay back, to be with Lyra. She cried, she got on her knees and crossed her hands and looked up at the man who had saved her without even knowing it and told him to respect this choice. To let her go and finish this. Draco was mad at her action. Insulted, even.</p><p>“How can you not know by now that I will never let you go?” He picked her up effortlessly and took her into his arms. “I am going to be by your side through everything. I promised you that once, don’t make me break my promise.” He kissed her and she melted into him. How was it fair that she could be so happy and it could so easily be stolen away?</p><p> </p><p>They arrived at the Ministry to Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny waiting for them. Ginny had a gorgeous engagement ring on her finger, and Sarah couldn’t have been more happy for her and Harry. Just as they had said it on that first meeting in Diagon Alley, they would be going to America. Sarah had promised herself that she wouldn’t be coming back to England unless she knew for a fact that Maxim Stewart was gone for good.</p><p>Massachusetts was her favorite in the spring; she only wished Lyra could be here to experience it. She’d left her mind too open, and she felt Draco’s arm around her waist as they all walked up the path to her cottage. “Next time we come back, Lyra will be with us.” He nodded, as if he was sure that was going to happen. </p><p>The cottage looked untouched, which was surprising to Sarah. She walked to the door and tried the handle, which was still locked. “Alohamora,” and it opened. The group entered the cottage, and Sarah immediately felt better. “It looks untouched.” Sarah noted, climbing the stairs to her bedroom. Everything was exactly as she remembered leaving it.</p><p>“Everything looks clear down here,” Ron called, and when she checked the spare room and turned around, Draco was behind her.</p><p>“This will forever be my favorite room,” He grinned, pressing a gentle kiss to Sarah’s shoulder. “Perhaps we should stay here tonight.” Sarah nudged him with a roll of her eyes and they rejoined the group downstairs.</p><p>“It’s possible they knew that I didn’t really stay here much. I was mostly always working. But I do think we need to go to the mansion.” Harry looked worried as she offered her hand to the group before apparating.</p><p>The foundation was all that was left of the mansion. It smelled like ash and smoke and the energy was entirely off. “His office was well warded,” Draco offered, “Powerful dark magic. Magic couldn’t be traced inside. It would’ve been on the east side.” He began the walk with Potter and Ginny. Hermione and Ron followed Sarah as she went around the other side. </p><p>“Does anyone else hear that humming noise?” Sarah called out and received a bunch of no’s as the answer. When they got to the back of the mansion, Sarah recognized the back steps. “The council room would have been right….” She found a pile of bricks stacked up which had been the fire place. “Here.” She doubted there was anything left, and they stepped inside of the foundation. Nothing happened. They could faintly make out the others on the other side of the mansion doing the same thing. </p><p>Hermione pointed to something shining under the bricks though. “What is that? I doubt the MACUSA investigators would have missed something that bright.” She leaned down and Sarah grabbed her hand.</p><p>“Don’t touch it. I don’t trust Maxim, he had a lot of items cursed to attack non council members. I saw plenty of maids claw their own eyeballs out. <i>A penalty of their greed</i>, he had said.” Hermione looked disgusted and Sarah leaned down. She effortlessly grabbed it, with no effects it seemed. When she lifted it, the humming noise got louder. By the lack of reactions, she was still the only one hearing it. “Help me move some of this rubble, please.”</p><p>They went to work, using their wands to lift piles of stone and bricks. Finally the humming was almost too much to take and Sarah covered her ears.</p><p>Hermione looked at her and started moving and digging faster. Finally, she retrieved a very old metal box from under everything, using her wand to hover it in the air. Sarah couldn’t take the noise any more and she reached out to grab it. </p><p>The noise stopped. </p><p>Sarah used her wand to clean off the top of the box that was caked in dirt. There was a small engraving on the box that read:</p><p>
  <i>For the rightful Stewart heir.</i>
</p><p> </p><p>“Specialis Revelio!” Draco pointed his wand at the box and a bright red glow emitted from the box. They had a pile of possible useful parchment to go through, but Draco wasn’t letting Sarah near that box again until he checked it out.</p><p>“Good thing we’ve got Dark Arts Draco with us,” Ron laughed, and everyone just gave a small smile. Draco glared at him, but Sarah patted his arm. “What’s it mean?”</p><p>“Blood magic.” Draco sighed, easing up as the box continued to glow red.</p><p>“Alright then,” Sarah went to the drawer and grabbed a knife, easily slicing a piece of her palm and letting the blood drip over it.</p><p>“Fucking hell, Sarah!” Draco snapped, grabbing her a towel as Ron looked like he might puke. </p><p>Nothing happened for a minute. “I have to be the rightful heir. My sisters denounced their magical pasts.”</p><p>“Your father, though.” Harry reminded her and she frowned. Draco grabbed Sarah’s hand and began healing it when all of a sudden there was a pop! From the box and the lid lifted.</p><p>“Bloody hell, it worked!” Ron hummed, Ginny and Hermione reentered the kitchen with some parchments they were reading.<br/>

Sarah looked at the box cautiously before she lifted the lid. Inside, was a very thick book. <i>The Book.</i> “How can this be? Maxim never would have left without this. It’s… there’s no way.” Draco was wide eyed as well. He knew the significance.</p><p>“Maxim… rather, the Stewarts kept a very detailed book of their family’s history and no one was allowed to read it.” Draco explained to the others. “This… could be a trap Sarah.”</p><p>“It’s not… I heard it calling to me. My father told us once that if the book went missing then only true Stewart heirs could find it. I didn’t believe him.” Sarah shook her head, nervously opening the cover of the book. The first date was so worn it wasn’t even legible. Instead, she flipped to the back of the book. </p><p>The last entry was dated the day of her mother’s death:<br/>
“I have completed the last part of the ritual. Rebecca Albert is dead, our power will be restored.”</p><p>Sarah read this out loud. “The last part of the ritual? What?” Everyone looked confused and Sarah shook her head. “This can’t be the last entry, he would’ve had to put my grandmother’s death in here and my dad’s… my cousin Henry… the birth of Grace and Kelsey…”</p><p>“Sarah, what if he rewrote the book?” Hermione offered, softly. “I bet if you read it, you will see things in it that he wouldn’t want to be found. The copy that was kept in the Council room was probably his version of the Stewart history. One that only shows victories, history is always written by the winners.”</p><p>She nodded, it made sense. The group disbanded because it was late and her and Draco sat on the couch reading everything they could. Sarah was so invested that the words in front of her were starting to blur. Draco reached over, gently grabbing the book out of her hand. “C’mon love, it’s late.” He put it back in the box and closed it and offered Sarah his hand. They walked up the stairs to her room, but she shook her head and led the way to the spare room.</p><p>“That room reminds me of being alone,” She whispered and Draco smiled, following her and they got into bed.</p><p> </p><p>It was the middle of the night when Sarah woke up to Draco’s yells. He was having a nightmare, thrashing about and screaming. She had seen him do this twice now, both when he was really stressed. “Draco,” she said it softly, grabbing his hand first, but he gripped hers and tightened it around her. “Draco! That hurts!” </p><p>“Draco, it’s me,” She winced in pain as he grabbed harder, she used her other hand to lean down and cup his face. “It’s Sarah, please Draco wake up. I’m here, it’s okay.”</p><p>His eyes opened and his hand went to her throat, squeezing it hard. She coughed once, but it was a struggle as she tried to pry his hand off of her neck. Sarah hit his arm, but it just made him more mad and he let go of her other hand and he pushed up so she was now in his lap. “Unwise to try and startle me in my sleep.” His eyes were dark and menacing and the hand not around her throat grabbed her hip and he pulled her closer to him. </p><p>“Draco…” Sarah managed to get out, both of her hands now running down his chest. She didn’t know what else to do so she put her palm on his hardness and pressed. “It’s your wife, for fucks sake.”</p><p>He hissed, easing the hold on her neck, but still kept it there. Instead he pressed his fingers into her hip and she moaned slightly. “Always telling me to fuck the stress out of me. Keep my head where it was supposed to be, <i>focus</i>.” Sarah couldn’t tell if he was still half in his head or out and she began grinding her hips against him.</p><p>“Focus on me,” She groaned and he smiled, his hand moving to her chin and pulled her face to him to kiss. He was not gentle at all, grabbing and rubbing her hard. Draco’s one hand moved to her chest, pinching her nipple hard through her shirt and she yelled. </p><p>He kept her quiet with his mouth on hers again and she reached into his pants, pulling out his cock and began stroking it with both hands. “Fuck, you want me to fuck you?” He asked her and she shook her head.<br/>
“No, my love. I’m going to fuck you.” Sarah pushed him, as if to get him to lay down on his back, but he grunted and grabbed both her hips.</p><p>She felt him ease up, suddenly, and his eyes widened, looking up at her. “Sarah, what the fuck did I do!?” Sarah could see his eyes filling up. He tried to move her off of him and she planted herself right back in his lap.</p><p>“Shhh,” She wrapped her arms tight around his neck and he buried his head in hers. “It’s okay, you were having a nightmare.”</p><p>“I hurt you,” Draco put his hand out to touch her neck but then pulled it away. “I never.. I would never…”</p><p>Sarah put her lips to his and kissed him softly. “You didn’t hurt me. You used to use sex as an outlet, that’s all. I reminded you of it.” Draco buried his head again and he let out a soft cry. “You would never hurt me, I know.” She whispered, “This place brings back a lot of memories for us. Let’s make better ones.” Sarah glided herself over his cock and he moaned, and he put his hand underneath her to slide her panties over.</p><p>He was so hard when she slid herself down on him she wasn’t sure she could take all of him at once. “I love you so fucking much.” Draco breathed out, lifting his hips to get fully inside her as she moaned in pain. “Look at you taking all of me,” he kissed her jaw line, down to her neck where he licked the marks his fingers left. “Fucking me so gently after I put my hands on you,” He breathed as she started moving on top of him. </p><p>“Did any of the others fuck you like this?” Sarah let out a devious grin as she rode him, angling herself so he could see her wicked grin. Draco buried himself in her chest, licking, nipping, and sucking. Moaning into her every time her body came down on his. </p><p>Eventually the slow riding was enough and Draco flipped her over so she was on her back. “I just fucked them. They didn’t come, they didn’t do anything but lay there.” Sadness was in his eyes again, as he shamefully met hers. “I can’t be happy unless I see your face as you come. Feel you on my cock, Sarah. You are everything.” Draco began thrusting at a good speed, Sarah moaning as he spoke to her.</p><p>They didn’t need to say anything as their bodies fell back into their familiar rhythm. They couldn’t help laughing at the squeaking of the bed as he pushed harder into it. They kissed passionately, hands roaming each others bodies. Draco’s hand found her clit easily and he rubbed, sending her wild and meeting her hips with his. </p><p>“That’s right, come for me, love.” He moaned, watching her as she met her climax.</p><p>“I’m not…” Sarah moaned loudly as another orgasm hit her and she trembled. “I’m not on the  potions, Draco.” </p><p>Draco grunted at the news and fucked her harder. He always finished inside of her, usually after getting her to come again but he grabbed her chin and had her look at him. “Where do you want me to finish?” He was barely holding his own and she moaned as she felt him getting bigger inside of her.</p><p>“Come in me,” She breathed, “I don’t care. You feel so good, Draco.” She was writhing underneath him and he pushed on her clit again making her moan loudly as he watched her come again, and felt her tighten around his cock. “Give me everything,” She was practically begging and he couldn’t take it anymore.</p><p>“Always yours, Sarah.” He leaned down to kiss her, burying his cock as deep inside of her as he could and with one last low moan he came hard. </p><p> </p><p>They slept later than they intended to and woke up to knocking on the front door. They both cursed as they got up and Sarah told Draco to answer the door while she showered. He obeyed, finally opening the front door to the golden trio and Ginny, looking a lot more chipper than he was. He remembered last night and excused himself to upstairs, interrupting Sarah’s shower by pointing his wand at her throat. </p><p>“If you really want to choke me, darling, just ask.” She grinned and he smirked before he began healing the marks he left on her. </p><p>Draco reached out to cup her face when he was done and kissed her. “I really am sorry for hurting you, Sarah. Next time just get out of the room. Leave me.”</p><p>Sarah kissed his palm and shook her head. “I’ll never leave you.” God, he loved this woman so much he wanted to take her again but he wasn’t sure he could be quick enough for that so he gave a disappointed sigh and went back downstairs. </p><p>Everyone eyed him when he came down, “What?” He asked, casually entering the kitchen where they had everything spread on the table.</p><p>“One, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in anything other than a suit or Hogwarts robes,” Ginny began pointing to the lounge pants and casual long sleeve shirt he was wearing. “And two? I’m just going to say it... this place stinks of nasty, dirty sex. We know you have a kid and all so no judgment, probably nice to have a little freedom, but Merlin open a window next time, eh?”</p><p>Draco looked like a deer in headlights and didn’t know what to say. Harry laughed first, the others laughing with him and Draco shook his head. Sarah entered the room and looked around and the other couples looked at her and whistled, cat called and she looked at Draco.</p><p>“Apparently we had nasty, dirty sex last night and the whole place reeks of it.” Draco smirked and Sarah snorted.</p><p>“Well, we did.” Sarah made a face that said ‘oops!’ and walked to the coffee maker desperate to have some. Draco blushed again and rubbed his temples with his fingers. </p><p>Everyone went silent and Harry cleared his throat. “Well, I got news that Pierce went to the Ministry this morning and turned himself in.”</p><p>Sarah grabbed mugs and the pot of coffee and offered it up. “I wonder if he has been looking for Lyra.” Lost in her own thoughts, she stirred her coffee and looked out the window. “He wouldn’t be able to find her. If he knows we are here, he could potentially have alerted Maxim too.”</p><p>“But then why turn yourself in after?” Draco asked, leaning against the counter.</p><p>“Exactly,” Hermione agreed with Draco. “He would have to know that Aurors will give him truth serum, extract memories. It’s fairly easy to tell if he’s had his memories erased or tampered with. It would be pretty dumb to tell Maxim and then turn yourself in.”</p><p>“I did do some research on your family, Sarah.” Hermione continued, grabbing a few books out of her bag and placed them on the counter. “I even asked around at a few shops this morning, acting like a tourist disappointed the mansion was gone. How far into the history did you read?”</p><p>“I’m not sure, it was all blurry towards the end. I think I was about to enter the 1700’s. We had just come over from Scotland, the Salem Witch trials had ended. Apparently I am related to Rebecca Nurse. I never knew that.”</p><p>Hermione nodded her head. “There’s… a rumor about her, actually. I went to Salem and asked around. Rebecca was supposed to be one of the most powerful witches. She was accused by the Putnam’s, but your Stewart ancestors are the real culprits. Here,” Hermione grabbed a book and turned to a marked page. “The Stewarts wanted to see the Nurse family eradicated so that they might be the ruling Wizarding family in Salem and the East Coast. Through marriages, the Stewarts would gain half of the remaining Nurse homestead and sell what they could to fund the construction of the Stewart Mansion in Ipswich.”</p><p>Sarah was disgusted and shook her head. Harry moved forward now with papers in his hands, putting them in front of her. “That’s not all. There are many entries from witnesses at Rebecca’s hanging that state she cursed the Stewart line. She swore as generations passed, the Stewart heirs would lose their magical powers.”</p><p>Her head was spinning in a million different directions. “That makes… complete sense. Why my father is awful at magic. But why would my grandfather need to kill my mom? Because her name happened to be Rebecca?”</p><p>Hermione shook her head again. “Your mother is a descendent of Rebecca Nurse. Your grandfather knew who your father was marrying. But from what I’ve been able to find, their relationship was real. It was never set up, it just happened to work out in your grandfather’s favor.”</p><p>Sarah moved towards the book and began flipping pages. “Rebecca Nurse’s curse, how to end it. Theory.” There was entry after entry on theorizing how to end the curse, but nothing concrete. It was all just guessing. “Well, I guess I’m doomed then, nothing here to actually prove killing my mother worked.”</p><p>Draco stepped forward, looking at the books. None of this made any sense to him. “Sarah, you’re one of the most powerful witches I’ve met. This can’t be accurate. It explains <i>why</i> your grandfather has been obsessed with pure bloods marrying into the family, to try and save the families magic but yours should be getting weaker. If anything, yours is getting stronger.” </p><p>Everyone nodded in agreement and Sarah sighed. Her mother died for nothing but a stupid rumor hundreds of years old. “I just want to find Maxim, and punch him in the face. Just once.” She closed her eyes and imagined it. “After that he can rot in Azkaban, I don’t care.” </p><p> </p><p>They spent a few more days around Ipswich, trying to find any clues they could. Sarah felt like it had been too easy; but then no one had tried to find her since Gary’s attack over the summer in London. Maybe the council had given up. Maybe Maxim had finally realized the supposed curse was just a figment of history that never came true. </p><p>Sarah locked up her cottage, sad that she had to leave it again, but grateful that she got to at least say goodbye and grab what she wanted this time. She missed Lyra horribly and as they apparated to the Manor, both her and Draco scooped her up not caring she was napping and held her and kissed her for hours.<br/>
<br/>
In their own bed now, their daughter sleeping comfortably in her crib next to the bed, Draco and Sarah made love for hours. When they were finally spent, they curled up together and discussed the events that happened in the States. </p><p>“You know I am a horrible skeptic when it comes to divination and prophecies but I have also seen one actually be true,” Draco muttered. “What if your mother and father being together broke the supposed curse? They loved each other in earnest, the only thing more powerful than hate, is love.”</p><p>“I know that was not meant to be directly romantic but you make me want to jump on you without even trying, Draco Malfoy.” Sarah smiled and laid her body on top of his, nestling her head on his chest. “I’d like to believe that was true.”</p>
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<a name="section0028"><h2>28. don't you ever tame your demons, but always keep them on a leash</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The library in Malfoy Manor was one of the largest private libraries Sarah had ever seen. She’d never been the academic type; she preferred to learn by example or by doing. But right now they didn’t have a choice but to turn to books to find out any answers.</p><p>Hermione and Draco were much more suited to perusing the library for books that night have information on curses, blood magic, any sort of lineage from when the Stewart’s first sailed to America. Lucius, of course, was using any connections he could manage to salvage to gather information as well. Pierce remained in a holding cell at the Ministry, but had so far been cooperative. No one else knew of his existence and they were keeping it that way.</p><p>Maxim had seemingly disappeared off the face of the planet. Sarah stayed awake at night wondering where that Portkey took him. He could be anywhere. He had every chance to come after her when they were back in the states, but he didn’t. </p><p>Draco resumed his work at the Ministry, mostly to keep tabs on Pierce but also to give him something to do. He knew his habits of spiraling could come creeping back up at any second, and the less they had on Maxim, the more stressed he became. There were nights when he would get up and wander downstairs, worried that if he fell asleep he would hurt Sarah again. Or worse, he was terrified he might hurt Lyra.</p><p>Sarah often caught him sleeping in the morning on the sofa, and would wake him up by putting Lyra on him where she would try to eat his nose, or she would tug his hair. Sarah didn’t bring it up most of the time, but she was keeping track of the nightmares. She’d bring him tea and kiss him good morning and watch as he buried his head in his hands, his hair getting longer and covering his eyes. </p><p>They spent most free time in the library, with Lyra. Draco researching and Sarah reading. “We need more no-maj books here. Dr. Suess, The Giving Tree, Goodnight Moon, these are all books she should be reading.” </p><p>“Hm?” Draco just looked up from his book, like he was in a completely different place. He didn’t want to let on that the books he had been reading all pointed to nothing, essentially. They were still playing a guessing game of whether or not the curse was real or not.</p><p>Sarah just shook her head and got up, taking Lyra with her out of the library. Draco could sense the tension and he sighed, slamming the book shut and walking after them. “I was listening, Sarah!” He called, probably not the best choice of words as she spun around.</p><p>“No, you weren’t. You’re never here anymore. Physically present? Yeah, but your head is somewhere else. So instead of bothering you, we’ll go somewhere else too.”</p><p>“I’m trying to find out what the fuck your grandfather is up to, maybe you’d like to help in that regard you know. It’s for <i>you</i>.” </p><p>“And I sincerely thank you, Draco. But you’re missing out on your daughter’s milestones and you’re having nightmares and not telling me. Not sleeping in our bed.” Lyra began crying on her hip and she started to rock her. </p><p>Draco stopped, because she was right. But she had pissed him off. Just as she stood here accusing him of not opening up to her, she was doing the same to him by just storming off. </p><p>“That’s what I thought.” Sarah said it with an attitude and started walking down the hallway. Draco let her. </p><p> </p><p>Sarah had used the floo to call Ginny and Ginny told her to come over. Sarah had never been to Harry and Ginny’s house. When she stepped out of the fireplace, she was in a modest sized home, decorated traditionally. Ginny and Harry didn’t seem like ostentatious people, not like the Malfoy’s. They got comfortable on one of the couches and began talking.</p><p>“I can feel him putting the wall up, every time I’m near him. I don’t even think he knows he’s doing it at this point, Ginny. I don’t know what else to do. I doubt his parents would be any help.”</p><p>“The Malfoy’s are an old, pureblood family. They were raised to suffer in silence, Sarah. You don’t air out your problems for the world to see, you save face.” Ginny sympathized with her, though. She knew as well what it was like to love a man with ghosts. “He probably just doesn’t even know how to begin to ask for help. It will make him look weak. Harry is like that all the time. They just… choose to suffer alone.”</p><p>“But I’m his wife! Isn’t that what I’m there for? For the amount of times he’s tried to push me away I’m starting to think he <i>wants</i> to be alone.”</p><p>“Can you picture Lucius going to Narcissa and telling him every sorrow that plagued him?” Ginny smirked at Sarah and she couldn’t help but give a soft laugh. </p><p>“Believe it or not, for as horrible of a person he can be, Lucius really loves Narcissa.”</p><p>“Do you think they allowed Draco to see that, though? Harry had to learn how to be affectionate because he had such a lack of it as a child. He’s completely touch starved. I still tell him over and over again it’s perfectly fine to sleep with his arms around me.”</p><p>Sarah took this into consideration. “I think Draco uses touch as more of a way of showing that I’m his, especially in public.”</p><p>“He’s always been like that. No offense, but he’s not fond of others getting what he wants. Prime reason he hated Harry growing up. He wanted to be the chosen one.” Ginny snorted, like anyone would’ve willingly wanted that burden.</p><p>“Draco’s come a long way. I know that, at least. It’s why I hate this, I don’t want him turning back into what he was.” Sarah looked down at Lyra who was sleeping on her chest. </p><p>“He won’t, Sarah. He just needs to figure out how to deal with his emotions. It’s new for him.” Ginny offered with a small smile, reaching out to pat Sarah’s leg, gently. “Can I tell you a secret?”</p><p>Sarah perked up. “Of course you can.”</p><p>“I think I’m pregnant. I’m almost two months late.”</p><p>“Oh my god! Ginny! That’s wonderful!!” Sarah grabbed her hand.</p><p>“Harry doesn’t know, please don’t say anything. We weren’t exactly trying but then we also weren’t being very careful…”</p><p>“Ginny, he told Draco at Christmas he was <i>jealous</i> that Draco had a kid. Admitted it, out loud. To Draco.” This made Ginny’s cheeks turn a little red. “He is going to be so thrilled.” </p><p>“It’s all just a lot, isn’t it? Marriage and children, it seems weird since the war. I know you weren’t involved, but… it’s odd. Feels too soon, but then feels too long at the same time.”</p><p>“If anyone deserves to be happy, it’s you and Harry. Truly, though I’m surprised that Ron and-“</p><p>Sarah was cut off by Draco coming out of the fireplace, his eyes wide. He was angry. He was looking for her. “Where the fuck have you been!? I almost had to emergency call Granger because I thought you and Lyra were kidnapped!” His face was the reddest that Sarah had ever seen it and Ginny pursed her lips and got up.</p><p>“Be nice to her, Draco.” She said it softly as she went into the other room.</p><p>Draco just glared at her as she left and Sarah stood up, adjusting Lyra in her arms. “I didn’t realize I now had to ask permission from my husband when I want to go see a friend.”</p><p>“Please, Sarah. You know exactly what I mean.” Draco grabbed her arm and Sarah pulled it away. </p><p>“What the fuck do you think you’re doing? I’m not your fucking property to handle, Draco!” She went to the fireplace to floo back to their house.</p><p>Sarah set Lyra down in the crib in their bedroom and she could hear Draco come back, his stomping up the stairs a clear warning he was still pissed off. “I have <i>never</i> treated you like you are property.” He met Sarah in the hallway, at the top of the steps. “What is with your bloody attitude?”</p><p>“<i>My attitude?</i>” Sarah laughed, looking for a possible way to get around Draco to get downstairs but he had them blocked. “You have practically ignored Lyra and me for the last two weeks! I apologize that I wanted to socialize with someone that wasn’t you. Or your parents.”</p><p>“You should have told me where you were going, Sarah. It’s not safe for you to just be using the floo network like that. Especially with Lyra.”</p><p>“Now you care. You didn’t seem to, oh…” Sarah glanced at her watch, “Five hours ago.”</p><p>Draco took a deep breath, she could see his patience was wearing thin. This time he stepped up off the stair case and began walking towards Sarah. “Do you know what I would do if something happened to you? To Lyra?” His gray eyes were locked on Sarah now, but she wouldn’t stand down to him. Ever.</p><p>“You would torture and kill. You would behave like a Death Eater.” Draco’s face twisted and Sarah could see she had hit a nerve. Her heart was racing, she had never seen Draco like this. He towered over her, his hands grabbing her face a little harshly. </p><p>“It’s all I think about. Losing you both. I cannot concentrate on anything but preventing it.”</p><p>Sarah softened, and she reached out to Draco, her hands going through his hair. “You have to let me in, Draco. You’re not going to lose us. We are not going anywhere. But you can’t keep burning yourself out like this. You’re paranoid, you’re not sleeping, you’re being harsh. You won’t even hold Lyra unless I force you to.”</p><p>“I don’t want to hurt you…I say I never will. I never would, but I don’t know what could happen. The nightmares keep getting worse.” Draco’s voice practically broke and it killed Sarah.</p><p>She grabbed his hands, tugging him to follow her downstairs. She had him sit in the smaller living room that she had set up and rummaged through some trunks on the side. She pulled out a vile and handed it to him. “Sleeping potion. You need a good nights sleep, I won’t take no for an answer. Tomorrow, you will play with Lyra all morning and then you’re going to spend the day with Lyra and your parents.”</p><p>Draco looked at her, he wasn't about to argue. He didn't like fighting with her, he needed her. “What are you going to do?”</p><p>“I’m going to talk to my father. And then him and I are going to figure out how to kill my grandfather. I’m really over him controlling our lives.”</p>
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<a name="section0029"><h2>29. you're the only thing that I think I got right</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>* violence warning *<br/>also this is a very long chapter</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"When I take a look at my life, and all of my crimes, you're the only thing that I think I got right."</p><p> </p><p>Draco woke the next morning to find Sarah’s side of the bed empty. She had left a note on the pillow saying she was just going to the Ministry to speak to Pierce and tell him the information that had been found so far. Draco sighed, still not happy that she was alone at the Ministry, but then he remembered her saying he needed to spend the morning with Lyra. So he did. </p><p>“Merlin, you look so much like me, Lyra.” Draco was always in awe when he watched her roll around and learn new things by the minute. “Your mum wants to get you all of these muggle books that I suppose she read growing up. But let me show you the best Wizarding children’s book. Here it is, The Tales of Beedle the Bard.” Draco pulled her into his lap. “I hate to say your mum was right, I’m a proud man… but she was right about us spending the morning together. Alright, let’s begin.” </p><p>Lyra was down for a nap before he could finish the first story and Draco sighed, the tiny human curled into a ball on his chest. He decided to ask Narcissa to stay with Lyra and find a way to get muggle books.</p><p>He apparated to London, feeling very out of place as he walked muggle roads. He finally stumbled upon a bookshop and walked in, scanning all of the aisles for a children’s section. Finally he found it, a small bookcase highlighted with books. He recognized one of them, , and grabbed it from the shelf. He waited (impatiently) on the small line until he got to the cashier and when the tiny lady asked for <i>pounds</i> he looked genuinely confused.</p><p>“Bloody muggle money,” He mumbled, leaving the book on the counter as he found an alley to use to apparate to Gringotts. Draco waited on another line, finally converting some money to muggle money and then took another hour to find his way into another muggle bookshop.</p><p>He’d found two more books he thought Lyra might like. While he was examining the back of one of them he bumped into someone. “Watch where-“ He stopped as he was face to face with Maxim Stewart. Before he could reach for his wand, everything went dark.</p><p> </p><p>Sarah had laid everything out in front of Pierce, who was trying to wrap his head around all of the information she was presenting him.</p><p>“It was all true, then?” Pierce touched the book in front of him. “He always spoke about a curse, but never told me the specifics. Rebecca was… I was so stupid. So, so stupid. If I had known I would have stayed as far away from her…” Sarah could sense the desperation in his voice.</p><p>“You didn’t know, Dad. Maxim didn’t even know fully until after Iris was born. You and mom found each other, like you were supposed to. He didn’t arrange any of it, it just happened. This didn’t comfort Pierce, who looked like his heart was breaking all over again. “Draco thought that maybe because you both truly loved each other, the curse was broken.”</p><p>Pierce shook his head. “My magic has gotten weaker and weaker. I can feel it. Whatever power your sisters and you have, it must come from your mother’s side. It doesn’t explain why he wants you, though. Essentially you could still maintain the lineage. He didn’t think this through at all. Especially with Lyra being a Malfoy, her magic will probably be exceptional. It’s not because of the Stewart’s. It’s because of the Nurse line and the Malfoy line.”</p><p>“So you think that it’s the more powerful magic that passes on?”</p><p>“It has to be. My mother was… a very weak person. She had to be to marry Maxim. She died when I was young, she never used magic unless Maxim told her to. I’m sure that from years of inner breeding the magic was tainted.” Pierce thought about it for a second, leaning back in his chair. “I remember my mom once saying that she’d never compare to Linney Hawthorne. I think Maxim wanted to marry her. But Redd got to her first.”</p><p>Sarah swallowed hard, shaking her head. “Draco went back and Maxim had killed Linney. He said Maxim did it to punish Redd, but I bet it was more personal than that.”</p><p>“He never would’ve done it himself if it wasn’t something he wanted to make personal.” Pierce shook his head. “I always secretly wished she was my mom.” He let out a long sigh.</p><p>They sat in silence for a minute before they heard an apparation crack and Lucius Malfoy entered the room. Him and Pierce stared at each other for a moment and Lucius set a piece of parchment down in front of Sarah. </p><p>“I might have found some ancient blood magic that explains Maxims intentions. It is incredibly difficult, and incredibly risky to perform.” Sarah scanned the words in front of her, shaking her head.</p><p>“He has to kill Lyra and me. The Nurse line needs to end. We knew that. But he has no other heir to put our magic into. He’s cutting off his nose to spite his face.” None of this made sense to her at all. “Is there a way to stop the curse without killing people?”</p><p>“It seems as though if one of the heirs are willing to give up their magic, it will end. But it has to be sincere, and it is, unfortunately, permanent.” Lucius didn’t take a seat, leaning on his cane as he looked to both of them. “Your other daughters have already denounced their magic, am I right?”</p><p>Pierce nodded. “Would that be enough?”</p><p>Lucius shook his head. “No. Denounced isn’t exactly the same as… <i>sacrifice</i>.” Of course he made the word sound entirely more dramatic than it needed to be. “And even if we just eliminate Maxim, the curse would still, I believe, be active.”</p><p>They all sat in silence and Pierce shrugged. “Well, I am willing to sacrifice my magic. I did sacrifice my life already, what’s the difference.”</p><p>Sarah was still lost in her own thoughts when she remembered Gary. Gary coming to her and Draco’s flat. Gary doing all of Maxim’s bidding without even knowing that he was… “Oh my god! It’s Gary. He is going to use Gary as the heir! He’s a Stewart. I found it out while digging in the library before he cornered me."</p><p>Lucius nodded, “He is going to use him as the heir. His plan to get to you and Lyra still stands, then. We need to find Gary.”</p><p>“I’ll let Potter know,” Lucius winced at the name and Pierce looked confused. “Dad, I think you should go back with Lucius. We don’t know when he’s coming and if you’re serious about giving up your magic we might need you at a whim.” The men stood and Sarah stopped. “Last time we saw him, Gary was in London. He was the one coming for me at the flat.”</p><p>Lucius held his head up. “Well, I suppose I should thank him for getting my son out of that awful dwelling.” His lips curled before he apparated himself and Pierce.</p><p> </p><p>When Draco’s eyes opened, the world around him was so bright. He was cold. He had to blink a few times, in order for his eyes to focus. His arms and legs were restrained and he wiggled as best he could to see how much slack he had. Not much at all. He grunted, spitting on the floor in front of him. He was sure he had a broken nose from the ache on his face, similar to the on Hermione Granger gave him third year.</p><p>His tongue ran over his teeth, he still had them all from what he could tell, and he was fully closed in some sort of dungeon looking place. It reminded him of the basement dungeons in the Manor, that the Ministry had insisted on blocking off after the war. Funny it was where he was being held now. </p><p>His head was pounding as his eyes began adjusting to his surroundings. A white tiled floor that had some drops of blood on it, no doubt his own. Draco sniffed again, shaking his head to get his hair out of his eyes. </p><p>“Ah, finally Mr. Malfoy. We’ve been waiting for you to come around.’ Maxim had a very steady voice that cut through the echoes in the room. He stepped forward, looking sharp and menacing in his suit and Draco wondered for a second if he had looked that way once. Still, Draco spit on the floor again and gave his best attempt at a shrug.</p><p>“Well, you could’ve healed me. Shame no one told you this, but we are wizards, you know.”</p><p>Maxim didn’t laugh at the sarcasm and he continued to walk towards Draco. “I’ve been trying to get into your mind for the last two hours. Even Gary,” Draco’s eyes shifted towards the little creep walking towards him now and he scowled, “who is a very well trained Legilimens couldn’t get through. You’re awfully good at occlumency, even unconscious.”</p><p>“Spend a few years under Voldemort, suddenly a half crock American wizard is hardly a threat.” Draco smirked as Maxim leaned forward and punched him in the gut. He wasn’t familiar with physical fighting so it took the wind out of him, but he still laughed. “Yeah, you are a righteous cunt, aren’t you?” Another punch and this time Draco coughed up blood. “Heal me up then, Maxim. Give me my wand and let’s really see how big a of a cowardly prick you are. Ah, you won’t. S’what I tho-“ Another groan as this time he went for the side of Draco’s face.</p><p>“I frankly do not give a damn what happens to you, Draco. I just have to leave you an inch away from death so that Sarah will come to find you.” </p><p>“And how do you plan on doing that? We’re married, not psychically linked.”</p><p>“Amazing how mouthy you still are when you’ve got nothing to offer.”</p><p>“Pure blood society family, remember? Old money, piss values. It’s hard to lose.” Draco was watching Gary now, since he knew he would be infinitely more easy to get a reaction from than Maxim. He’d actually forgotten about him until he saw him. And then he remembered Gary was also Maxim’s grandchild. It had to be the only reason that he was still pledging loyalty to Maxim. “How’s your magic doing, Maxim? Is that why you keep your little puppy around? To do your bidding? Can’t get it… up anymore huh?” Draco snickered. Maxim ignored him completely and began writing something down on parchment, Draco continued to look at Gary.</p><p>“Speaking of getting it up, how are you doing with the whole wanting to fuck your cousin thing, Gary?” Draco spoke casually, speaking as though they were at a bar catching up. This made Gary seethe and he raised his wand to point at Draco. “Remember, you need to mean it, mate.” </p><p>“You are absolutely insufferable” Maxim sighed and sent a piece of parchment off on the leg of an owl. “Lucky for us, we have somewhere to be. Perhaps next time we see each other it’ll be a romantic reunion for you and my granddaughter. If all turns out as planned, your daughter will be here as well.” Draco’s face went blank and he stared at Maxim.</p><p>“If you go near her…”</p><p>“You’ll what? Hardly in a position to threaten, Draco. Gary, come along.”</p><p>And Draco was left there, strapped to a chair, wondering what the fuck was going to happen next.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“Draco isn’t with you?” Narcissa’s eyebrows raised as she scurried down the corridor to meet Sarah, Lucius, and Pierce. All the while Lyra was babbling in her arms. Pierce stared at the child, having never seen her before, in awe.</p><p>“No, I thought he was with you. I demanded he spend the day with Lyra,” Sarah was now concerned, reaching for her daughter, kissing her on the head.</p><p>“He said he was going to Diagon Alley for books and then was going to meet you at the Ministry. It’s been hours…” Lucius and Narcissa looked at each other and Lucius sighed. “Teely!”</p><p>The house elf appeared, arms crossed as Lucius addressed her. “Do you know where Master Draco is?”</p><p>“Teely is not yours to question!” A hmph came out of her mouth and she looked the other way. Lucius looked like he was about to back hand her when Sarah stepped in.</p><p>“Teely would you please try and locate Draco? We’re worried he might be in trouble.” This got a series of yes’s from the elf and she promptly disappeared. “If Maxim has him.. we’re completely out of time.” She couldn’t even begin to imagine the things Maxim was probably doing to him if that were the case. “We need to decide what to do about Maxim and now.”</p><p>“Please give me Lyra, I will take her to Andromeda’s.” Sarah nodded as Narcissa stepped forward and grabbed the baby. “I will then come back to assist any way I can.” Sarah knew that trying to stop her would be pointless — she was a mother now, she knew the lengths Narcissa was willing to go to in order to aid her son.</p><p>Lucius disappeared and reappeared with the books he had been studying. Himself, Pierce, and Sarah sat down and went over everything he had found. They were in the middle of compiling everything for their own spell work when Teely popped back into the room. With no Draco.</p><p>“Master Draco is not in Diagon Alley. I’s feels him close to it, but the building is closed with bad, bad magic. Let me take you to Master Draco’s place. Teely will help stun!”</p><p>“Teely, can you apparate us as close as you can?” Sarah asked, desperation in her eyes.</p><p>“Sarah, we should really wait-“ Pierce interrupted but Sarah shook her head.</p><p>“No, I’m going. If you guys want to follow later, that’s your choice but Draco wouldn’t just sit here if he knew he could possibly get to me. What would you do for Narcissa? For Mom?” The men gave her a resigned look, they couldn’t argue with her after she asked her questions. “Work fast, and come for us. The first thing I’m going to try and do is break down the wards on the building so Teely can find us.” It was the smart move, an auror move. As much as she wanted to go in there and blast the hell out of every person she came into contact with, she also couldn’t risk losing Draco.</p><p> </p><p>Teely apparated them to an alleyway. It was definitely in London, but Sarah didn’t know where. “Thank you Teely. Please wait for Lucius and Pierce, I’ll need you to bring them here.” She nodded to the elf. “I’ll be okay, I will.” The elf looked unsure and nodded, disappearing with a pop.</p><p>“Expecto Patronum!” Sara thought of holding Lyra for the first time and a silvery black bear appeared in the air. “Tell Harry Potter that Maxim Stewart has been found.” Within a second, the silvery form was gone. “Now, where the hell are you, Draco?”</p><p>Sarah was in between two buildings, one looking like a residence and the other definitely looking abandoned. As she stepped towards the empty looking one, she could feel the energy coming from it. It was foul. She wondered how much dark magic Maxim had been using, and how it was mostly likely depleting whatever remaining power he had. Not only that, but she knew the damage it could cause him long term. It was likely Maxim was aware he would’t make it out of this alive.</p><p>Sarah began casting runes on the building. She muttered every barrier breaking spell she knew at the building, and nothing seemed to work. Eventually, she leaned on the building behind her as she thought about what to do next. What would Maxim make someone do to get into this building?</p><p>They would have to be vulnerable. Sarah looked down at her palm, and grabbed a piece of broken glass from the sidewalk. She sliced her hand open, and walked up to the building, wincing as she put her hand on it. Nothing happened. No shock, no tingle, no rush of dread. She grabbed the handle, and it opened.</p><p>That was going to be a problem for them, but Maxim didn’t know they had Pierce. She thought about sending another patronus, but Lucius was smart enough to figure it out. As the door closed behind her, she looked up and down at the stair case. All intuition told her to go down. So she did. </p><p>More magic, and she used her open wound to get past the next door, coming into a large basement room. The door clicked closed and suddenly there was a voice.</p><p>“I knew you couldn’t leave me alone that long, Maxim.” Draco. Taunting, of course and Sarah let out a relieved breath and jogged towards the sound of his voice. She came up behind him and started to untie his shackles, his head whipping back to see Sarah. “You marvelous woman,” He whispered, and as soon as she got his hands free she used her wand to release his legs. Draco grabbed her, squeezing her tightly. “You need to go back, he is after Lyra.”</p><p>“I know.” Sarah looked him over, his eye was black and blue, his nose broken and his chin was stained with dried blood. “You need healing.”</p><p>“No, I need you to go keep Lyra safe while I keep Maxim busy. Sarah you need to go now.” </p><p>“I’m not leaving you without a wand. Here,” She shoved her wand into his hand. “Now sit back down so I can tie you back up.”</p><p>He relented, a smirk on his face as she put his restrains back, pushing her wand up his jacket sleeve. “Not quite the ideal way I wanted to play with restraints. Both pleased and disappointed to know you’re so good at it, though.” Sarah gave him a look, making sure they were loose enough for him to get out, grabbed his face and kissed him hard.</p><p>“I love you, I will be back.”</p><p>“I love you, Sarah. Tell Lyra I love her.” She didn’t want to think of this as a goodbye as she turned and jogged to the door. But it was too late, Maxim and Gary walked in, wands raised at her face.</p><p>“Dear God, Sarah. This was entirely too easy. So much like your father, a sentimental <i>fool</i>. Couldn’t let your mother go.  I offered to let her go, obliviate her and let her live. That was, until I found out who her family was. I’m sure you’ve figured that bit out now. You needed to use your blood to get in the building.” Maxim had her backing up now, but Draco’s back was turned to them. “Were you leaving without your husband? Doesn’t seem like you, Sarah.”</p><p>“How do you even know the curse exists?” Sarah asked Maxim, her hands raised. “Wouldn’t I be losing my power? I’m not. Is Gary losing his?”</p><p>Gary didn’t look at Sarah, a sure sign that his power was weakening. It explained why he had showed up at their flat with four men. “Once I have dealt with you and your blasphemous daughter, our power will be restored and Gary can then carry on the Stewart line. The Nurse lineage will be wiped out, I already made sure your sisters are out of the way.”</p><p>“What!? You didn’t! No!” Sarah thought of her two older sisters, living their life peacefully in California. Giving up the Wizarding community because of him. Sarah reached forward to grab Maxim’s wand, but he was quicker, stunning her as she fell to the floor.</p><p>“Sarah!!” Draco yelled, not being able to see anything happening. Gary picked Sarah up, dragging her next to Draco where he slumped her in a chair. “You royal cunt, I’m going to kill you once I get out of here.” He was seething, but he knew he shouldn’t make his move yet. </p><p>“Okay, let’s just make this easier on everyone. Where is your daughter?” Maxim walked up to Draco, his wand right over his heart.</p><p>“You should probably ask Sarah. I left them together.” </p><p>Maxim was losing patience, but his plan was working out just like he had hoped it would. He had Draco, that lured Sarah, but now he needed the infant. “You are going to send a patronus to your parents, telling them to meet you here.”</p><p>Draco sighed, bowing his head. “Another shite idea, I can’t conjure a patronus.”</p><p>Maxim hissed and pressed his wand against Draco’s throat. “You liar!”</p><p>Draco just shook his head. “Why would I lie? I’ve been marked. Do you think even the happiest of memories can overpower the dark magic coursing through me from that dark mark? You’re weak and pathetic, sure. But you’re not a complete imbecile.”</p><p>While Gary was busy putting magical holds on Sarah to get her restrained to the chair, Draco kept his focus on Maxim, sliding Sarah’s wand down his arm. Maxim backhanded Draco for his comment and Draco laughed. “Sarah said I looked rather dashing with all these bruises and cuts. You’re just making me more of the handsome devil I already know I am.”</p><p>“Do you ever shut up!?” Maxim was now trying to come up with some way to get Lyra to where they were. While he was occupied in his own thoughts, Draco retrieved the wand and stunned Maxim, Gary immediately turning around.</p><p>“Crucio!” Draco casted first, Gary falling to the ground screaming. He went over to Maxim, kicking him in the gut a few times for insurance and kept Sarah’s wand aimed at Gary. “Where is my wand, you pervy little thief?” He snarled at Gary, stepping on his hand until he heard a bone crack. Suddenly, Draco felt like he was seventeen again, torturing people for information under the Death Eater regime. But this was different. This was entirely personal. “Shall I ask again?”</p><p>Gary writhed under Draco, nothing but gargles coming out of his mouth. His eyes moved to Maxim’s body and Draco’s eyes followed him. He didn’t trust Gary, but he also needed his wand before he freed Sarah. He stunned Gary without even blinking and began patting Maxim down for his wand. He found it in the mans back pocket and he scoffed.</p><p>Draco cast the incarcerous spell to bind both of the men there on the floor. He went over to Sarah, his thumb rubbing over her cheek. “My love, you need to wake up.” He undid the magical bindings as she began to come back.</p><p>“Fucking hell, my head hurts.” She moaned, blinking a few times to see Maxim and Gary on the floor in front of her. “Oh my god!” She sat up fast but then leaned back down.</p><p>“Don’t jump up like that, you need to go easy. Here, take your wand.” Draco made sure she would be able to firmly grasp it. “Do you think you could conjure a patronus to call to my dad?”</p><p>“I sent one to Potter before, but no one can get in. It’s blood magic…” She didn’t say until Pierce got here in case either of the men were conscious. “It would take days to break down the wards.”</p><p>“Do we need to use their blood? Because I have no problem…” Draco turned to the bodies petrified on the ground. “I’m going to torture this one for every time he so much as cast a glance your way.” He leaned over Gary now, relishing in his weakness.  </p><p>“Hold me up,” Sarah put her arm out so Draco could steady her. “Expecto Patronum!” Her adorably scary black bear appeared.</p><p>“Of course your patronus is a black bear.” Draco said it flatly, looking at his wife with a smile. </p><p>“Tell Lucius we need him, please.” The bear ran off, nothing but a mist of silvery blue in its wake.  “They’re harmless when you let them rummage through your garbage cans.” Sarah pushed off of Draco, limping towards her grandfather who was petrified and bound. </p><p>“You know, Maxim, I have never had the guts to use any of the unforgivable curses. Even in the most dangerous cases, I couldn’t do it. But you… you threatened my daughter. You threatened my husband. You killed my <i>mother</i>.” Sarah pointed her wand at her grandfather. “I could do it.” She barely whispered it, but she felt Draco come up behind her.</p><p>“Sarah,” He cautioned, putting an arm on her shoulder. “You are the light, my love. Let me be the dark.” Draco didn’t want Sarah to feel the jolt of dark magic that would go through her when she cast that curse. The piece of her soul that would forever be stained with that magic. “Crucio,” Draco said it flatly, watching Maxim’s eyes widen as he mentally tortured him. Sarah’s eyes never left her grandfather until they heard the door.</p><p>Lucius Malfoy strolled into the room, his unwavering ego paving the way until he was a few feet from Maxim and Gary. “Well, how nice it is to finally meet the in-laws. Cissy, would you care to meet some of Sarah’s family?” Narcissa appeared, her hands folded in front of her as she turned her head slightly down to look at Maxim. </p><p>“Sarah clearly gets her good looks from her mother’s side.” Narcissa looked to her son now, whose physical wounds were very much obvious. “I think perhaps we should bring them to the Malfoy dungeons, what do you think, Lucius?”</p><p>“Mmm,” He nodded in agreement. “These poor wannabe wealthy socialites should see what a respectable home looks like."</p><p>“Im…possible.” Maxim spat out, “The…wards…”</p><p>“Oh, about that.” Sarah tilted her head to the side and used her wand to raise her grandfather upright.</p><p>Pierce Stewart entered the room, not in any sort of glory, but looking defeated and beaten. “You killed my girls. You killed them all, except Sarah. All of them.” It hit Sarah like a ton of bricks, she remembered Maxim’s confessions before he stunned her. Pierce’s hand went out, grabbing Maxim’s throat. </p><p>“Dad, not like this.” Sarah reached out to grab her father’s hand. And as much as she wanted to join him, she pulled it away from Maxim’s throat. “Let’s finish this first.”</p><p> </p><p>They apparated to the dungeons in the basement of Malfoy Manor. “Father, I thought these were sealed off…” Draco asked, confused at how they got here. “When Potter shows up, this is not going to be good.”</p><p>“The dungeons will be the least of Potter’s problems when he gets here,” Lucius snarled, using his own wand to bind the two men to the walls. “Now, Pierce. As we discussed?”</p><p>Sarah grabbed Draco and pulled him back. “They found a way to complete the ritual. They were working out the details when I left.” Draco didn’t like this. Something didn’t feel right.</p><p>Pierce reached into his pocket and pulled out a vial, taking it all in one swig. His face scrunched up at the taste and he put it back in his pocket. Then he reached for his wand, and held it over his heart. He began mumbling some incantation that neither Sarah nor Draco had ever heard before. His whole body began to glow, and within seconds the glow was then settled at the tip of his wand. </p><p>“You stupid fool, you absolute fool!” Maxim shouted. “You have no idea what you’re doing. This will never work.” He laughed, as Pierce moved forward to his father. </p><p>“Maxim Stewart, I relinquish my magic, passed on to me through generations of cursed blood. I give my magic to you, willingly.” Draco was seriously confused as Pierce put his wand to Maxim’s chest and the light filled Maxim, who continued laughing.</p><p>“You always were stupid. You need the patriarch to kill me now. Do you think I’m just going to kill myself? You can't even use the imperius curse. It has to be intentional, all this for nothing.”</p><p>“Actually,” Lucius stepped in front of Maxim now, “The ritual only states it needs to be <i>a patriarch<i>. How lucky my father passed about five years ago.” Draco yelled, but it was too late. Lucius pulled his wand from his walking stick and clearly said the words.</i></i></p><p>
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    <i>“Avada Kedavra!” Maxim’s eyes went dark, his body limp as Gary screamed and Draco grabbed his father. </i>
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    <i>“Are you insane!? You know!! You know what’s going to happen now!!!” He yelled at Lucius, shaking him and shoving his chest. Sarah grabbed Draco, to stop him from hitting Lucius and Pierce helped. </i>
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    <i>“It was the only way, Draco. The only way we could ensure he didn’t come after Sarah and Lyra.” Lucius explained in a relatively calm manor. He’d cast the curse before, he felt as numb as he did every time after it was complete. “I let you down once, Draco. I couldn’t do it again. I couldn’t.”</i>
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<a name="section0030"><h2>30. shout out to the old me and everything he showed me</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is the last chapter of this part of the story. I do plan on updating with random one-shots of the families interacting together because I'm a sucker for fluff. Thank you for reading!!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“My name is Sarah Claire Malfoy. My maiden name was Stewart. I was born on September 2nd, 1978 in Ipswich, Massachusetts to Rebecca and Pierce Stewart. I had two older sisters; Rachel and Iris. When I was ten, my mother was murdered. When I was twelve, my father took his own life. I spent my years at Ilvermorny learning all I could to avenge their deaths. I was the fastest trained Auror in MACUSA’s history. During the Second Wizarding War here in Britain, I was assigned to infiltrate and gather information regarding Death Eaters under Voldemort’s regime.”</p><p>“Voldemort fell shortly after I arrived, and I worked in the Department of Mysteries as an Unspeakable. I was contacted that my paternal grandfather, Maxim Stewart, was planning to broaden his pure blood enthusiast group, The Council of the Arcane, in the states to offer an alternative to Voldemort.”</p><p>“I spent the next few months pandering to my grandfather to get back into his good graces, and gain his trust. It worked, or so I thought. I met Draco Malfoy; I roped him into my plan to infiltrate the Council by pretending to be in a relationship with the intention of marriage. Draco gained a lot of traction in the Council due to his pure blood status and previous involvement as a Death Eater.” Sarah’s eyes fell on her husband, across the Wizengamot. “We were close to obtaining evidence of my mother’s death at the hands of Maxim, when our cover was blown, and Maxim disappeared. I then distanced myself from the Council and its activity because I was pregnant.”</p><p>“Mrs. Malfoy, when did you first meet Lucius Malfoy?”</p><p>“I met him on Christmas of 1998, at Draco’s flat in London. I had introduced myself as Draco’s girlfriend, for cover purposes.”</p><p>“How did he react to your relationship?”</p><p>“He wanted us to come to the Manor to meet his wife, Narcissa. But we were leaving for Boston the next day.”</p><p>“When was your next encounter?”</p><p>“When Draco and I came back from the states. He made another visit.”</p><p>The questioning wizard crossed the room, giving a pause for silence intentionally. “And Lucius still did not approve of your relationship then?”</p><p>“Lucius did not know that our relationship had been false at first. He had only been given information from Maxim, which wasn’t entirely the truth-“</p><p>“Answer the question, Sarah. Did he approve of your relationship?”</p><p>“No, he didn’t. Because my mother was a no-maj. Sorry… muggle.”</p><p>Draco looked drained as he sat in the court, his eyes intent on Sarah. She could feel them on her the entire time. “How did Lucius react when he found out about your pregnancy, and elopement?”</p><p>“He wasn’t pleased, but he accepted us into his home.”</p><p>“Under the circumstances that you were being hunted by your cousin.”</p><p>Sarah sighed, trying not to lose her composure. She had never been good in court, especially when testifying as an Auror. She knew the games that had to be played. “Lucius grew to accept me into the family. He loves his granddaughter. He loves his son. He did <i>what</i> he did to protect Lyra, and me. Maxim was going to kill us if he got the chance.”</p><p>“So it’s acceptable for Lucius Malfoy to just take a life because you <i>thought</i> someone might take yours and your daughters? A well known Death Eater, still up to his own tricks years after the war is over.”</p><p>“If Lucius hadn’t figured out a way to break the curse, Maxim would have killed me. The only reason I am sitting here is because of him.” Sarah yelled it, before taking a deep breath and leaning back in her chair.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Hermione Granger spent more time putting together evidence than even Draco did. She presented everything the second day of the trial. At the end of court, the sentencing was given.</p><p>Lucius Malfoy would serve five years in Azkaban prison for intentionally murdering another person. However, his sentence was lessened due to his involvement with taking down a wanted criminal. </p><p>“It’s actually better than we hoped for,” Hermione offered to Draco and Sarah after the sentencing. “We can try to appeal after two years. I’ll make sure he isn’t treated too harshly, but given his Death Eater history… it might be difficult.”</p><p>Draco was still mad, furious even that his father did it. He hadn’t spoken to Sarah for a few days, thinking she had known what Lucius’ plans were. Pierce had received a heavy probation period of house arrest; for falsifying his death and as an accomplice to Lucius. The Ministry worked with MACUSA to allow him to live in the house Sarah and Draco were living in for his sentence, and they moved back into the manor with Narcissa. </p><p>But Sarah had another motive for moving back into the manor. She had been contacted by Child Protective Services in Los Angeles. Her apparent brother-in-law had followed in Pierce’s footsteps. Ironic how history repeated itself, and Sarah and Draco found themselves and Lyra en route to California.</p><p> </p><p>When the three boys entered the room, it was clear they thought Sarah was their mom. It was like they were staring at a ghost. Sarah remained calm, but they all looked like her sister. </p><p>“Hello, gentlemen. I’m sorry we have to meet this way. But I’m your Aunt Sarah. This, is your Uncle Draco, and this is your little cousin, Lyra.” They spent hours with her nephews, and Draco had already been resigned to the fact they were going to leave with three more children to care for. </p><p>Gavin, Jacob, and Noah were very pleasant boys. Gavin was eight, Jacob was five, and Noah was two. It took a while for them to explain magic to the boys, but Gavin had shown abilities within the first few weeks of being in England. The other two boys followed soon after. The Nurse line ran strong in magic, it seemed. Sarah made sure that they knew it, and to not be ashamed nor boastful of it.</p><p>Sarah loved telling the boys stories of her sisters. They all got to meet Pierce, who couldn’t stop shaking the entire time they were visiting. Pierce finally got rid of his magic, something that had burdened him his entire life. Now he could just be a doting grandfather. </p><p> </p><p>The Malfoy’s were good friends with the Potter’s and the Weasley’s. Between biological and adopted children, their gatherings were like an entire event. They had lost track of who was godfather and godmother to whose kids after a few years. But the Malfoy’s were the first to be sending a child off to Hogwarts; Gavin had absorbed every piece of knowledge he could before his first year. </p><p>“Uncle Draco, what is that tattoo on your arm?” He had finally gotten the courage to ask the week before he was due to go to school.</p><p>“When I was a boy, I idolized my father. Much like I’m sure you did with yours. And possibly me and Harry and Ron… but my father made very poor choices. He put his faith into something he shouldn’t have, and because I didn’t know any differently, I put my faith into the same thing.”</p><p>“Like great-grandpa Maxim did with the Council.” Draco nodded, a solemn smile on his face. “But you and Aunt Sarah changed it all, didn’t you?”</p><p>“We didn’t change it <i>all</i>. We acted, because of the decisions our fathers made before us, to try and not pass that on to you, and your brothers. And Lyra, and James, and Rose… you get the point.” Gavin nodded. “I’m not ashamed of my past. I’m ashamed at my lack of confidence in myself. I didn’t question my choices until it was too late, even though it felt wrong.”</p><p>“He never did that again,” Sarah interrupted, leaning on the door frame. A smile was on her lips. “And Draco is right. What you guys have, is freedom to make your own decisions. We didn’t get much of a choice; we were chained to consequences of actions we didn’t commit.” </p><p>“We broke the chain, Gavin. And if you ever feel like you aren’t living the life you want, break that chain again, alright?”</p>
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